


Turning-Points

by ArwynandCole



Series: The Heart of The Earth [1]
Category: Lego - All Media Types, Lego Ninjago, Lego Ninjago-Masters of Spinjitzu, Ninjago Masters of Spinjitzu
Genre: Adventure, Developing Relationship, Drama, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Humor, Love, Masters of Spinjitzu, Minor Violence, Ninja, Ninjago, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-07
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 18:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 215,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1034836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArwynandCole/pseuds/ArwynandCole
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I can’t take a breath without thinking about her…But…she’s the Green Ninja…I can’t be thinking like this..." The revelation of an unexpected, and reluctant, Green Ninja (OC) awakens Cole's lonely soul.  Beginning of Cole and Arwyn's story. Tale of interpersonal relationships with a little comedy, a little drama, a little action and adventure.... Contains some language, violence, suggestive situations.  Kinda my AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Getting To Know You...

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Lego Ninjago, but I do own my OCs, story, and imagination.  
> Please note that Lloyd is not the Green Ninja in my little world. He is ten years old, and he ages like a normal kid. This story begins after the Masters of Spinjitzu have all reached their true potential and acquired the Fang Blades, but there is a MUCH larger gap between the acquisition of the Blades and the rise of the Great Devourer. (Weeks to months)  
> This is not fast paced. Relationships usually begin slowly...  
> Hope you enjoy the read! Please comment if you do! :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sensei Wu invites a guest to supper, one who stirs Cole's blood and has a surprising role to play in his life and those of his team members.

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

Nya and I stood on the sidewalk outside of a small clinic watching the people walking by going to their jobs, classes, or the market.  Ninjago City was bustling at nearly eight o’clock in the morning, but we were just waiting, silently watching. 

I had asked Nya to accompany me this morning for an important errand.  When she had respectfully asked what I was planning, I had said only that it was something I had been waiting to do for a long time.  She had no more questions after that. 

Nya was very good at patiently waiting for me to reveal information.  That was one of the reasons I always chose to have her come with me on errands and trips.  She was also intelligent, organized, vibrant, and easy to look at.

As we waited near the clinic, I scanned the crowd of people walking this way and that.  Finally, a car drove into the small lot next to the building and, presently, out stepped its driver; a pretty, slender young woman in purple scrubs with olive skin and wavy, shoulder-length, black hair. 

Her face was so familiar to me, one I had seen in dreams a thousand times before, and my heart raced in my chest.  I had been waiting so long.

I motioned to Nya to stay where she was and approached the young woman who was inserting her key into the lock of the clinic door.  She noticed me out of the corner of her eye as I drew near, and it startled her a tad so that she stepped back a bit and regarded me with wariness. 

“Pardon me, miss,” I began, bowing before her, successfully suppressing any anxiety I felt.  “I am Sensei Wu, and I would like to speak to you about a very important matter.  You are Arwyn, are you not?”

She seemed very surprised that I knew her name, but composed herself quickly.  Smiling at me and bowing while looking me in the face she said, “Yes, I’m Arwyn, the nurse here.  Is there something I can do for you?  I really need to get inside before I’m late for work.”

“I will not keep you long,” I assured her in a gentle tone.  Her eyes darted over my shoulder to Nya whom I knew was standing nearby being as discreet as possible.  I sensed with amusement that she thought the young woman in red might be my caretaker. 

“A powerful force has drawn me to you,” I continued, getting straight down to business.  “One that tells me you are very important to the future of Ninjago.  A great evil threatens its peace, and I wish to speak with you regarding your role in the fight against it.” 

Perhaps I should have eased into that last part, for one eyebrow twitched slightly before she took a small step away from me, never dropping her benevolent smile.

“Um, I’m not sure I can help you there, but maybe you’d like to get an appointment with our doctor?” she responded helpfully.

“No, thank you,” I told her.  I knew she might next be offering me a room in the nearest psychiatric facility, but I had to finish this.  “It would please me greatly if you would accept an invitation to come to my home and dojo for dinner this evening so that I may speak with you at length regarding what I just told you.”

Sizing me up, and perhaps determining that I was harmless, Arwyn seemed to decide to humor me.  “That is very generous of you, and it might be possible, since I don’t teach my self-defense class tonight, but I can’t promise anything right now.  I’ll need to check my calendar first.”

I chose to ignore that last part.  “Very good, then,” I said firmly, tapping the butt of my bamboo staff on the sidewalk.  “I will send one of my students to escort you to our dojo on the ship _Destiny’s Bounty_.  He will arrive this afternoon to collect you.” 

She seemed somewhat unsure of what had just transpired, so I quickly bowed and said, “Good day,” before she could regroup and protest.  Automatically returning the respectful motion, she answered, “Um, okay.  You, too,” as I turned back towards Nya and began to stride down the sidewalk. 

I noticed Nya nod her head in Arwyn’s direction, but I did not look back.  A wave of happiness and relief washed over me, and I relaxed.  The hard part was done; I had finally found her and made contact.  Now to get her to the _Bounty_.

Nya followed me down the sidewalk for a short piece before quickening her step to walk alongside me.  “Um, just who was that, Sensei?”  she asked hesitantly. 

I could understand her curiosity, but I was not yet ready to divulge any other information.  “A dinner guest,” I answered simply.  “When we get back home, please let Zane know that I would like him to cook tonight even if it is not his turn.  Now let’s find a coffee shop for tea before we head back to the ship, shall we?”  Nya thoughtfully nodded.  Sometimes it’s good to just be humored.

****Cole’s POV**

After checking to make certain that everything was clear, I silently dropped from the attic through the suspended ceiling into the hallway of the clinic.  I didn’t relish dealing with the receptionist up front, and the back door was inconveniently locked, so I thought I’d take my chances with the attic vent and enter that way.  Besides, ninja don't usually care to enter by the front door, anyway.

Looking around, I didn’t see much action in the small building, but I could hear voices and printers on the far side.  I noticed a janitorial closet and quietly opened the door and stashed my golden scythe there.  Probably didn’t need to carry that around in here.  I had my katana, anyway.  Walking down the hallway, I set out to find my quarry. 

The first couple of doors were to empty offices, but the third was my jackpot.  Peering through the open door, I saw the object of my quest sitting at her desk, charting.  Purple scrubs, black, wavy hair, trim build.  She was just as Sensei Wu had described her, except that she had her head down over her paperwork, so I couldn’t see her face.  I cleared my throat quietly and said, “Are you Arwyn?”

Lifting her head, chocolate-brown eyes met mine for a split-second before she shoved her chair back, leapt to her feet, and grabbed scissors from a desk drawer, brandishing the points at me in a defensive pose.  

“Who the hell are you, and how did you get in here?” she cried, probably trying to sound commanding, but actually seeming a little freaked out.  I guess I alarmed her. 

I raised my eyebrows at the sight of the attractive young woman pointing scissors at _me_ , the Master of Earth.  _What does she think she can do with **those**?  Cut my hair?_   “Wha…?” I started, then I remembered what I must look like.  “Oh, sorry.” 

I reached up and removed my mask and hooded helmet, running a hand through my thick, black hair to tame it a little and get it away from my eyes.  “I’m Cole,” I said, giving her a little smile.  “Sensei Wu sent me to escort you to the _Bounty_ for supper.”  _And we’re gonna skip the particulars about my point of entry._

She didn’t respond for a moment, just stared at me with a kind of far-away look, while I stared back at rich, dark eyes, high cheekbones, soft lips…She suddenly shook her head slightly and tucked her shoulder-length hair away from the left side of her face.  Replacing the dreamy look with a scowl, she asked, “What the heck _are_ you?”

I looked down at my usual black uniform with silver and leather armor, arm and leg wraps, and tabi boots.  It seemed pretty obvious to me.  “A…ninja.”  Hadn’t she heard about us around town?

Still holding the scissors threateningly, Arwyn, or I supposed she was Arwyn, she hadn’t actually acknowledged that, spoke with annoyance in her voice.  “Well, you’re a little early for supper.  I don’t get off work until four thirty.  Maybe you should come back in about two hours.”

 _O-kaay…got a little ‘tude, eh?_   Relaxing my stance in the doorway, I said patiently with a little grin, “No, thanks.  I think I’ll stay here and wait for you.”  _And enjoy the view_.

She frowned with a doubtful look.  “Why?  You’re going to be really bored hanging around here.” 

I kinda doubted that.  “I’m pretty good at waiting.  I’ll just be doing what Sensei sent me to do.”

“Which would be…?”

I leaned against the doorjamb and crossed my arms over my chest before stating confidently, “Guarding you with my life.”

Seeming surprised at my response, Arwyn stammered, “W-why would he tell you to do that?”

“I guess he thinks you’re pretty important,” I said, shrugging vaguely. 

“For what reason?”

“He didn’t elaborate.”  _He never does._   “He just told me to get over here and bring you back safely.  Which I intend to do,” I added with determination.

Looking me in the eye challengingly, she relaxed with the scissors, and asked, “What if I refuse to go?”

 _Did she actually just say that?_ I cocked an eyebrow in mock warning and tried to keep a straight face.  “Umm…I have been known to use any means necessary to complete a mission.”  However, I really didn’t want this to turn into a kidnapping.

Probably thinking I couldn’t hear her, she muttered, “I’d like to see you try,” as she turned to place the scissors back in the drawer.  It was all I could do not to laugh at her bravado, but I just smirked, then had to cover it promptly when she turned back to face me.

“If you insist on staying, I suppose you can have a seat here in my office, but I have work to do, so don’t expect to be entertained,” she informed me curtly while gathering a few charts from her desk.

I settled into the proffered chair in the corner, stretching my legs out in front of me and crossing them at the ankles.  “That’s fine.  And thanks for your hospitality,” I said with a touch of sarcasm.  “But, I have plenty to mull over while I wait.”  _Like what role Sensei has in mind for my lovely, but very guarded, would-be attacker.  Surely he doesn’t think she could possibly be…nah. … Or maybe he does._

****Arwyn’s POV**

Glancing out of the corner of my eye at the ebony-clad ninja with his long, powerful-looking legs stretched out in front of him, I tried to ignore him and headed out of the office into the hallway.  _OMG, he is gorgeous!_   I thought. 

But then I caught myself.  Sure, he had a smooth, handsome face, olive complexion, slightly roman nose, greenish-grey eyes, and heavy eyebrows.  Sure, he had a sensual smile and a confident, slightly husky voice.  And, sure, he was tall and muscular, in armor and a uniform, but he was probably also an arrogant, egotistical womanizer, or some kind of jerk like that. 

I had to stop thinking about him and finish my work.  I had already made a fool of myself by staring at him when he took off his mask and hood.  At least I was much less freaked out after that, and I realized then that the elderly Sensei Wu wasn’t senile or delusional.  Unless the watchful man in my office was part of a joke. 

Somehow I made it through the last two hours, and finally decided to go ahead and entertain myself for the evening by going to supper with the ninja.  I didn’t get the sense that they were a dangerous cult or anything, so why not?  I hoped I wasn’t wrong about that, anyway.

After gathering my things and finally daring to speak to Cole for the first time in two hours, we headed to the exit.  He stopped to open the janitorial closet and withdrew a large, golden farming implement.  “What in the world is that?” I asked.

“It’s called a scythe,”  he answered.  “And more.  You’ll see,” he finished cryptically.  Once we got into the parking lot, he glanced at me and carelessly threw the scythe forward into the open space.  Before it hit the ground, a large, bright light flashed, then in its place was a hulking, four-wheeled vehicle he announced was the “Tread Assault”. 

I know it wasn’t very attractive, but I couldn’t help my gaping mouth.  “Where did this thing come from?”  I squeaked out.

He laughed and explained, “It’s part of the power of the golden weapon.  We’ll talk more about it later.  Let me help you into it.”  He held out his hands to assist me up onto the ledge, but I suddenly realized I had let my guard down and brought the shield back up.  “No, thanks.  I can do this myself,” I  said, rejecting his offer and climbing fairly nimbly up to sit in the back of the cockpit. 

Cole shrugged, then leapt from the ground to the cockpit edge, executing a perfect forward flip and landing gracefully with a smug look on his face.  _Showoff_.  I looked away and rolled my eyes, but had to admit that his agility only made him hotter. 

The ride to the _Bounty_ was uncomfortably quiet.  Cole didn’t say much, maybe because he was letting me process everything, or maybe because he thought I was bitchy, which I really didn’t mean to be.  I was silent the whole way, also, since my apprehension was growing as each mile passed. 

Staring out at the passing desert scenery, I wondered what in the world I was doing riding in a magical vehicle with a ninja I had just met, heading to a flying ship Cole said was docked a couple of hundred feet in the air over the desert outside of Ninjago City to meet with an elderly Japanese man about stopping evil in Ninjago _._

 _Whaaat?!  I’m either stupid or unconscious,_ I thought as the ship came into sight.  I knew I probably should have told someone I was doing this, but they doubtless would have tried to talk me out of it.

Once we drove up to the flying ship’s anchor—and it _was_ flying, or at least hovering!— Cole called someone on his comlink thingy and asked them to send the cargo lifter down.  I was appreciating that since I couldn’t see any other way up except the anchor’s chain, which didn’t seem like the most efficient way to board.  Although it would deter some unwelcome guests.  

Turning in his seat, Cole held out his right hand to me, saying, “Give me your hand.  I’m gonna change the Tread Assault back.”

I looked at him cautiously and started to ask why, but thought better of it and slipped my left hand into his.  His strong, warm fingers wrapped around mine securely, sending a tingle up my back to my scalp.  They weren’t soft, you could tell he was used to handling tools or weapons, but his nails were well-kept, and they were hands you didn’t mind touching…or having touch you…. 

I was snapped out of my reverie when I realized the vehicle seat was no longer under me, and I was dropping toward the sandy ground.  I gasped a little and threw out my right arm for balance, surprisingly landing squarely on my feet…with Cole’s left arm wrapped around my waist, his right hand still holding mine as though we were dancing.  I stood stock still for a moment, leaning against his muscular chest and abdomen, while he looked down at me, smiling. 

Feeling his warmth through my thin scrubs, I hastily pulled my hand from his, pushed against his chest, and took a quick step away from him with a mumbled “thank you” while blushing.  The ninja in black released me without a comment, though he kept the annoying grin, and reached for the cargo lifter as it neared the ground.  Letting it settle in the sand, he wordlessly opened the small gate and politely motioned for me to enter it. 

Looking up as Cole closed the gate behind him, I saw a head disappear over the railing.  I presumed it was whomever was operating the lifter.  “Don’t be alarmed by all of the attention you’re about to get,” Cole informed me, probably having seen the same head.  “We don’t get a lot of visitors, and everybody’s pretty nosy, like any family.” 

“Thanks for the warning,” I muttered since I’m not a really outgoing person.  It raised my anxiety level to think that I was about to meet a bunch of people I didn’t know who would be very interested in why I’m here when _I_ wasn’t even sure about that.  I felt like I was on display as the cargo lifter rose up and over the railing of the ship, and I saw a multi-colored group standing nearby, eyeing us curiously. 

When the lifter was on the deck, a ninja in white stepped forward and opened the gate for us to exit, bowing slightly as he did so.  After walking out onto the deck, I returned the bow with a smile, saying, “Thank you.”  Bowing once again with a flourish, he answered, “You are most welcome, lovely lady.” 

Glancing nervously at Cole, I noticed an odd expression on his face as he took in the chivalrous greeting, but when he caught my look he smiled warmly.   “Let me introduce everyone, “ he started.  “We are the elemental Masters of Spinjitzu.  The gallant one in white is Zane, Master of Ice.  In red we have the snarky one, Kai, Master of Fire.  Jay is the blue one, AKA Sparky, Master of Lightning.   I am the Master of Earth, and the long-suffering leader of these three.” 

The ninja were all handsome, looked to be in their early twenties and offered me welcoming smiles and greetings, but shot annoyed looks Cole’s way as he finished up with their introductions. 

The young woman in red whom I had seen earlier in the morning was standing beside the blue ninja.  “This is Nya, Kai’s sister, and our Samurai and all-around support system,” Cole continued.  She gave me a bright smile and nodded as Jay put an affectionate arm around her shoulders.  “It’s nice to meet you again,” she said. 

“And this little guy is Lloyd, the ship’s mascot and Sensei Wu’s nephew,” Cole finished up with a lop-sided grin at a young, tow-headed boy of about ten years who had stood with a shy smile by Nya, but grew irate at the title given by the ninja leader.  “I am NOT the mascot!” he defended hotly.  Cole snorted with amusement and tousled the boy’s hair, ticking him off more. 

Gesturing to me, he announced, “This is Arwyn, our guest for supper tonight, which I’m sure is going to be great, since Zane cooked.”  The white ninja bowed again with a look of pride.  The ninja in red slightly raised a hand and began to voice a comment, but Cole held his palm up and said quickly, “Hold your questions for later.  I need to get her to Sensei Wu ASAP, “ and whisked me toward a stairway and below deck to a shadowy hallway. 

While he knocked on the door to Sensei Wu’s quarters, I took a deep breath, trying to quell the nervous feeling rising rapidly in my abdomen.  I caught the faint scent of a woodsy incense and felt strangely calmer.  After receiving permission to enter, we stepped into the sparsely-furnished and dimly-lit room.  Serenely sitting in seiza on a tatami mat with his eyes closed and without the rice hat was Sensei Wu.  Cole bowed low.  “Begging your pardon, Sensei, I have returned with Arwyn.”

The elderly man opened his eyes and looked up at me, smiling as though he was truly happy to see me, sort of like when I visit my parents.  “Please sit,” he requested.  “You may go, Cole,” he added without looking at the younger man.  Cole hesitated almost imperceptibly, then bowed low, replying, “Yes, Sensei,” before leaving the room and closing the door quietly behind him.

Pouring a steaming cup of tea from a little blue teapot, Sensei Wu handed the cup to me and said, “Thank you for indulging me and accepting my invitation for dinner.”

Sitting in seiza and taking the cup of apple-scented tea, I thanked him, then responded with a shrug, “Well, Cole made it kinda plain that I could come on my own or be brought here anyway.”

Wu chuckled.  “Cole is very responsible and dedicated to obeying me and doing his job well.”

I nodded and sipped the hot tea, wondering when he was going to hit me with the big guns.  I need not have wondered.

“Let me explain why I have brought you here…,” Wu began, then proceeded to clue me in about everything from the First Spinjitzu Master to the prophecy of the Green Ninja and all there was in between. 

As he went on and on, I grew more confused about why I was there.  When he finally stopped, I just sat quietly for a minute, waiting for something else to happen, someone to yell “April fool!”.  But, no one did.

As if he could hear my thoughts, Sensei paused, then continued, “You are here because a powerful force emanates from you, one that tells me you are capable of controlling all of the elements, mastering Spinjitzu, and conquering the evil threatening Ninjago.  I believe that you are the Green Ninja, the greatest ninja, destined to defeat the dark lord.”  He paused a moment, then finished with, “I am offering you to join our team and fulfill your destiny.”

 _Seriously?_   Sitting there holding my teacup with both hands, I looked at the elderly gentleman like he had just said I was the new Dalai Lama or bigfoot.  I couldn’t even think of any way to respond to that.  “Surely you have the wrong person?” I finally said with a short, humorless laugh.

“There is a way to show you and everyone else that I am correct,” he answered assuredly, rising and pressing a button on an intercom near the door frame.  Nya came on, and Wu told her to gather everyone and to bring them and the golden weapons to his quarters right away.  He then sat again and poured himself another cup of tea, refreshing mine without asking. 

I sat a moment in stunned silence before I burst out, “There’s simply no way I could do all you think I can!”

“You do not yet know the full capacity of your true potential,” stated Wu placidly.

“But-but, I have a job and…and responsibilities!” I protested.

“All our paths should meander.  If they remain straight, we miss opportunities and are stagnant,” he calmly countered. 

Not sure what else to do, I jumped to my feet on the mat, ready to bolt, when a knock came from the door.  Cole’s now-familiar voice sounded through it.  “Sensei?  You called for us?”

Wu gave his permission for all to enter, including Lloyd, who pushed his way to the front of the perplexed group.  They immediately began questioning the sensei about what was going on, but he quieted them with a raised, open palm.  Cole walked over with a reassuring smile and stood to my left, as if anticipating that he may have to prevent an escape, but it could have been as a show of support.

Wu then instructed Nya to place the weapons case she carried on the table against the wall just a few feet to my right.  Without further ado, he popped the clasps on the case, raised the lid, and stood back as the others looked curiously on.   

The four weapons resting in the case were already glowing with a golden light, which I took to understand they did not usually do, since everyone sounded a little surprised by the sight.  Within seconds, they were pulsating with a brighter light.  But what totally freaked me out was when they sprang from the case and flew straight at me.

I did a duck-and-cover with my arms while letting out a cry of fright, squeezing my eyes closed as I fully expected to be hit by all the pointy objects.  Frozen in that position for a moment, I realized quickly that there had been no impacts, and opened my eyes tentatively. 

Surrounding me was a glowing, green aura, and the four weapons, hanging suspended in the air.  Beyond them were the shocked faces of the ninja clan, Cole’s self-satisfied one, and Sensei Wu, who beamed with serene pride.  “It appears that the Green Ninja has finally been disclosed,” he stated with a small smile of satisfaction. 

I couldn’t make a sound.

****Cole’s POV**

_A-ha!  I knew it!  She’s the Green Ninja!  That explains why Sensei was so adamant earlier that I find her and stay with her once I got to the clinic. **And** convince her to come back to the _ Bounty _, no matter what I had to do.  I’m **really** glad that didn’t involve physical restraint_. 

I stood back a little from everyone and observed how all of them were handling this.  When Arwyn had first been revealed, she had this deer-in-the-headlights look, turning to me and insisting there must be a mistake. 

My first impulse was to reach out and hold her, comfort her, but I shook that off quickly!  Where did that thought come from in the middle of the revelation of the Green Ninja? 

Sensei Wu had then stepped between us and tried to convince her that there was no denying the fact of what she was, although he would not explain further.  She still stood flabbergasted by the display of the golden weapons which were being returned to the case by Nya and Jay. 

Kai seemed a little disappointed by the disclosure, but since he’d finally unlocked his true potential, I figured he’d get over not being the Green Ninja soon enough. 

Lloyd appeared a little upset that someone had now been designated to defeat his father.  I made a mental note to talk about it with him later. 

Zane was congratulating Arwyn, which reminded me that it was past suppertime, and I was starving, so I herded everybody out of the small room, and we headed toward the dining area.

In the dining room, I seated Arwyn on Sensei Wu’s right where he settled at the head of the long table, while I sat across from her on his left.  She still looked somewhat disoriented and vulnerable, which was a different attitude than the one I’d dealt with earlier. 

Back in the clinic parking lot, when she had proudly refused my offer of assistance into the Tread Assault, I had been a little put off by the rejection.  That’s why I pulled the stunt of dispelling the vehicle without warning her once we got to the _Bounty_.  I was determined to get her to touch me in some small way. 

I know it was a dirty trick, but it paid off when she ended up in my arms, one hand in mine, the other on my shoulder, looking up at me with wide, brown eyes, the wind blowing through her hair, her body pressed against mine… _What the hell, Cole?!_   _You can’t be thinking about the Green Ninja that way!  What would Sensei think?  And she doesn’t even seem that impressed by you, anyway._

My thoughts were interrupted when Zane brought the food out to the table and everyone dug in at once.  Since Arwyn seemed shy about tackling Kai and Jay, I elbowed them out of the way, filled a plate, and set it before her.  She thanked me quietly, giving me a brief look, and then proceeded to mostly push the food around with her fork in a sort of preoccupied way, eating little, although it was great. 

I’m afraid Zane, sitting at her right, was a little concerned about her lack of appetite for the awesome baked chicken in red wine sauce with asparagus and something he called ‘pomme frites’.  However, he tactfully didn’t say anything to her.  I know he scored extra points with _me_ for serving Italian cream cake for dessert!

During the meal, everyone talked excitedly about how we’d been waiting to discover the Green Ninja and how we were now going to train her.  Arwyn was bombarded by several questions about her life and experiences.  She politely answered every one, but only briefly, not volunteering much information. 

Sensei sat silently listening to it all and looking at her often in a curious manner.  I wondered what he was thinking about his newest student. 

Thankfully, Zane kept quiet for the most part, so she didn’t feel more under attack.  She was getting enough nosy queries just from Kai, Jay, Nya, and Lloyd.  I stayed quiet and just watched her, trying to keep the pressure low.  I figured this had to be a lot to take in all in one evening.

Once the food was gone, Kai hopped up from the table saying, “Great food, Zane!  Now let’s take this party into the game room and get Arwyn acquainted with our other awesome talents!”

Lloyd seconded the motion, but Nya stood and cut in.  “You’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed about all this and kinda tired, Arwyn.  Why don’t I just bring you to my room and get some sleep clothes ready for you?”

That sounded good to me, as Sensei and I rose from the table, but when Arwyn stood, she turned and faced Sensei Wu, saying in an uncertain voice, “Actually, I want to thank you so much for your hospitality, and Zane, for the wonderful meal, but I’d really like to go home now and think about this before I make any decision about joining your group.”

The room fell silent in shock, and everyone turned in her direction.  _She wants to leave?_   I stared at her as she stood fidgeting a little, clenching her fists by her sides, looking purposely at Sensei, glancing only once at me. 

The silence was broken by good ole Jay as he blurted, “You don’t _know_ if you want to be a ninja?!”  I shot him a look of warning.

Sensei Wu ignored him, nodded, and beckoned Arwyn and me to follow him as he left the table, the others gawking after us.  Several frantic thoughts ran through my head as I watched her walk stiffly ahead of me to Sensei’s quarters. 

_She can’t leave!  She’s got to accept her destiny!  We need the Green Ninja!  How can we convince her to do it?  How do you make someone accept something like this?....What if we just can’t?  And I just found her, I haven’t even gotten to know her yet…_

We reached Sensei’s quarters before I could let my mind run any further.  I was the last one into the room and shut the door behind me.  Turning toward Sensei and Arwyn, I saw she waspositioned slightly away from me with her arms crossed in front of her, a look of determination on her face. 

 _Ah, she has regrouped,_ I thought wryly.  Trying to seem relaxed, I clasped my hands behind my hips and stood with my feet apart, watching them.  _Let’s let Sensei handle this._  

He faced her and began innocently enough.  “I understand that this may be causing you great distress,” he said with a calm intonation.  “However, until you make your decision, it will be necessary for you to be guarded day and night by your four protectors, the elemental masters.”  That’s when he kinda screwed things up.

Arwyn’s eyes widened, her face flushed, and she looked from him to me with irate astonishment.  Her voice was louder and higher-pitched.  “Are you kidding me?  You think I’m the Green Ninja, and I suddenly lose my independence?!”  _Oh, crud_ , I thought.  She continued, “I seriously do _not_ need guardians!  I can assure you no one is after me!”

“Your powers have been awakened by the golden weapons of Spinjitzu,” Sensei patiently explained as I stood by ready to catch her if she ran.  I could feel my brow furrowing even as I attempted to stay loose.  “A ripple in the force of Spinjitzu will have developed.  The enemies of the Green Ninja will soon be aware of your presence and become a threat to you.”

I cringed.  This was not what she needed to hear.  She threw her hands up in frustration, crying sarcastically, “Well, great!  I agree to come here and automatically endanger myself to the point that I need _bodyguards_?!  This is _not_ right!”

I figured maybe Sensei Wu was not cutting the mustard, so I decided to step in and help out.  Speaking evenly in an effort to calm her a little, I interrupted, “We won’t stop you from doing whatever you want to do or going wherever you want to go.”  _Okay, good start_.  “We’ll just be with you wherever you are.”  _Eh_ …

“And that sounds alright to you?” she looked at me in disbelief.  “I have done fine taking care of myself for a couple of years now!  I don’t need any help.  And,” she said with a scowl, leveling a finger at my chest, “How do I know I can trust **_you_** _?!”_

I glanced at her accusing finger, trying to think fast enough to come up with something that wouldn’t upset her more.  In a reassuring voice, I answered, “Our main goal here is to fight and defeat the evil that threatens Ninjago.  We have to keep you from harm in order to do that.  You could not be safer than to be with us.”  Sounded good to me.

With her hands on her hips, Arwyn simply stood and stared me down for a few moments without blinking.  I returned her gaze coolly, still standing with my hands behind me, trying to look nonthreatening.  Or as nonthreatening as a burly, six-foot-three ninja in black can look to a woman almost a head shorter. 

Finally, she looked away, the scowl disappeared, and she said as if defeated, “Okay, fine.   I just want to go home now if that’s alright.”

The tension in the room eased somewhat, and Sensei Wu seemed satisfied, replying kindly, “That is good.  Cole will escort you home and take the first watch.  Whenever you are ready, you can come to me again.”

Bowing respectfully, Arwyn said quietly, “Thank you, Sensei, for being understanding.  Good night,” then turned toward the door.  I felt compelled to place a hand on her elbow just to guide her out, but she flinched at my touch, so I nixed that idea. 

Letting her step out of the small room first, I then took the lead down the hall to the empty main deck, where I left her briefly to run back to the bunk room to retrieve an overnight bag.    

 _She’s more like the ninja of ice than the Green Ninja.  What do I have to do to get her to warm up?_ I mused as I stuffed toiletries and fresh clothing in the bag.  _But, then again, why should I be concerned about warming her up?  She’ll be a teammate, Cole, nothing else, another member to lead and protect…She can’t be anything else._

I managed to slip past the game room twice without anyone inside noticing me.  They were too caught up in their tournament to notice anything.  Not that I wanted to avoid them, I just wanted to avoid all the questioning and get back to Arwyn. 

Let Sensei Wu tell them where I was when they realized I was gone.  I had answered enough questions while he met with her for over an hour before supper, and even then I had not had much to tell them other than she was invited here by Sensei.

Getting back up to the main deck, I found the newly proclaimed Green Ninja leaning on the railing, contemplating the clear night sky which sparkled with millions of stars.  I hated to interrupt any peaceful thoughts she might be having, but I figured she may think I was creepy if I just watched her for a while. 

She didn’t notice my approach until I was right beside her, because she jerked back when I appeared on her right.  Sorry, but I _am_ a ninja.

“Ready to go?” I asked quietly as she relaxed a little.  She nodded, looking over the deck railing.  “Are we taking the cargo lifter back down?” she inquired.

“Actually, we’re jumping over the railing and riding the Tread Assault down,” I informed her with a big grin.  This was gonna be fun. 

She looked at me like I was nuts, but before she could do or say anything else, I impulsively did what I’d been wanting to do all evening.  Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I reached out and wrapped my right arm around her waist, pulling her close to me, while drawing my scythe from its sheath on my back with my left hand. 

“Hold on tight!”  I instructed brightly right before I lifted her off the deck and leapt over the railing as she screamed a protest, her arms clinging around my neck for dear life, her face buried against my collarbone.  It was another cheap trick, but it was _so_ worth it!

After a moment of free-fall, I barely thought about it, and in a flash of golden light, we were inside the Tread Assault and rapidly nearing the ground.  As we landed safely and sped off toward Ninjago City, Arwyn released me, punched me really hard in the arm, and gasped, “I am _so_ going to _kill_ you for doing that!”  I just chuckled and rubbed my bruised neck and arm as I steered the vehicle across the moonlit desert.  _Score!_

****Arwyn’s POV**

Once I got my heart rate under control, the ride to Ninjago City was much more pleasant.  Except for my racing thoughts.  _What are they **thinking**?  I am not **capable** of everything they expect of the Green Ninja!  They have **got**_ _to have the wrong person.  What will my parents think?  What about my job?  My life?  And am I **really** about to let a man I barely know take me home **and** stay overnight?  How unsafe is **that**?  I must be crazy!,,,,_

The Master of Earth riding in front of me didn’t say a lot on the way.  After he played his second little prank, I wasn’t in the mood for conversation, anyway, and he left me alone to stew.  Of course, if it had not been for the sheer terror of falling rapidly toward the ground, I would have appreciated being held by the big guy more than I did.

Just what was a “Master of Earth” anyway?  Another tidbit of information I’d have to get explained to me, just like the hundreds of other answers I’d need to my hundreds of questions.  This had turned into a really complicated day.

Finally arriving at my apartment door in Ninjago City, I twisted the key in the lock with Cole hovering a couple of feet behind me.  I lived in a ground-floor unit which opened to the parking lot.  It was far from being the penthouse at some upscale place like in some areas of the city, but it was clean, comfortable, and, I had presumed, safe.

Cole scanned the area surrounding it, seemed satisfied that all was well, then resignedly said, “Since you have a problem with having me around, I’ll keep watch outside for the night.”

Rolling my eyes, I sighed as I pushed the door open and said apologetically, “I’m sorry.  I don’t have a problem with _you.”  Far from it!_ “But my life’s just been turned upside down, and I’m not used to this kind of stuff.”

It was hard to tell since the light of the street lamp cast shadows across his face, but he appeared to be relieved a little by that.  Maybe he thought I hated him.  I guess I needed to loosen up if we were going to be spending the night together.

I reached in, flicked on the living room light, and turned in the doorway to face him as he stood on the sidewalk.  “And you can’t stay outside like a dog.  The neighbors will see you and freak out.”

The ninja in black smirked a little arrogantly at that suggestion.  “I’m a ninja.  The neighbors will _not_ see me.” 

I smirked back.  “Believe me, _my_ neighbors will see you.”  _Time to loosen up, girl._ I reached forward, grabbed him by his leather vest armor, and yanked him toward the apartment.  “You’ll stay inside.  The couch is pretty comfortable…”

He reflexively put out his hands, catching each side of the doorjamb, stopping there, and protesting, “Your bedroom has a window.  If I’m on the couch, I can’t watch that.  I’ll just stay…”

Not bothering to let him finish, I hauled him the rest of the way into the living room and shut the door.  I was kinda surprised that I was strong enough to move him… “Fine, then sleep on the bedroom floor!  I don’t care anymore.  It’ll give us a chance to talk about all of this.”  _I **must** be nuts._

The strapping ninja frowned a little and fidgeted uncomfortably by the door.  “In your…bedroom?”

 _Wow.  A guy like him who isn’t **running** for a woman’s bedroom?_   I eyed him with amused amazement.  “If I have nothing to fear from you, then you have nothing to fear from me, right?”

“Of course not!” he agreed a little too quickly, as if he wasn’t so sure about that.

Heading to the small kitchen for a glass of water, I hid a smile as I added, “I’ll just warn you ahead of time that I have a Taser handy, so no funny stuff.”

Cole paused in his scrutiny of my humble abode and looked uncertainly in my direction.  “…Uh…”

“Chill.  I’m joking,” I said, smiling as I sipped the clear liquid.  “Maybe.”  He didn’t look totally convinced.  _Good.  Keep him on his toes_.

Later, a few blankets and pillows on the floor at the foot of my bed were all he insisted he needed, even as I argued that it wouldn’t be very comfortable.

“It’s better than bare ground in the rain, which I’ve done before.  I’ll be fine,” he assured me.

“Well, you’re making ninja life look _real_ attractive,” I retorted as I headed to the bathroom for a shower, wondering what I may be getting into.

Once I was out, I waited until his turn in the bathroom before removing my robe, hopping into bed, and covering up in my usual camisole top and cotton shorts. When he came out a few minutes later, Cole was wearing a black T-shirt and a clean pair of black gi pants, in case he had to get out of the apartment quickly, he said.

I put out the lights, and we began to settle down for the night since it was getting late, and I had work in the morning.  The silence was deafening for a few moments before I couldn’t stand it any longer and spoke up from my bed.  “I have a ton of questions to ask you, but maybe we could start by getting to know a little more about each other?”

“Ask me anything,” came the quiet reply from the floor at the foot of the bed.

“What’s your full name?”

“Um…Valerio Cole Montanaro,” he said hesitantly, then quickly added, “And you can’t tell the others about that first one.”

“There’s nothing wrong with ‘Valerio’, but I won’t tell,” I promised.  “Is there a story behind it?”

“Don’t know.  Just means ‘brave and strong’.  Your name?”

“Arwyn Rie Saito.  ‘Rie’ means ‘valued blessing’.  Not sure about ‘Arwyn’.  Age and birthdate?”

“Twenty-two.  July thirteenth.  Yours?”

“Just turned twenty-three on February twenty-ninth.”

“Older woman, eh?” he commented with a chuckle from his supine position.  "And a leap-year baby..."

Sitting up in the bed, I leaned back, supporting myself on my arms, and huffed, “Older by, what, four months?  Whatever.  And, yeah, having my birthdate come only every four years sucks.  Anyway, where’d you grow up?”

"In the town of Castor.  My dad is still there.  And you?”

“A farm outside of Miyagi,” I answered.  I hesitated on the next one, but, hey, we were supposed to be sharing information.  “What happened to your mom?”

“I don’t know where my mother is,” Cole stated as his head appeared at the foot of the bed in the dim light.  “The bitch left us when I was twelve,” he added with more than a hint of bitterness.

 _Crud_.  “Cole, I’m sorry…,” I said regretfully, sympathizing for the hurt boy he had been and apologizing for refreshing that pain.

“That’s okay.  Let’s not talk about it.”  He hugged his knees.  “What about your parents?”

“They’re still doing good in Miyagi.  I usually see them two or three times a month.  Any siblings?”

“Only child.  You?”

“Just me.  My parents couldn’t have children.   I was given to them when I was toddler.”

“’Given’?” he voiced quizzically.

Shifting to the foot of the bed and lying on top of the covers on my abdomen, I rested my chin in my hand and faced the ninja of earth.  I was actually getting pretty comfortable with him.  “Apparently my biological mother passed away, and my supposed father was older and traveled a lot, so he showed up one night on the doorstep with a baby named Arwyn, and my mom and dad were more than happy to take me off his hands,” I summarized.

“Hence the name meaning ‘valued blessing’,” he said thoughtfully.  “That also explains why you don’t look much like most of the natives I’ve seen from that area.”

“Yeah.  Anyway, what’d you do before you met Sensei?”

“Eh…,” he paused.  “When I was seventeen, my dad sent me to a school and wanted me to be something I wasn’t, so I took off after a few weeks and wandered around Ninjago for a few years testing my limits.”

“Doing what?” I asked curiously.

“Mountain climbing, trekking through jungles, swimming straits, spelunking…”

“Holy cow!  You’re like an adventurer!” I exclaimed with enthusiasm.  “That’s really cool!  But where did your dad send you?”

He looked away for a moment, then back to me and said in a dead-serious tone, “If I tell you, you can’t laugh.”  I thought he sounded embarrassed.

“I’d never do that,” I said, just as seriously.

****Cole’s POV**

I closed my eyes and prepared myself for her laughter, anyway, before saying, “The Marty Oppenheimer School of Performing Arts…to be a dancer.”

Shockingly, she didn’t pause before stating with a note of sincerity, “Well, that’s something else you can do that I can’t…”

The tension in my shoulders left immediately, but I still argued, “It’s not as useful as a degree in nursing.”

“I bet it’s helped a lot in learning to do Spinjitzu,” she countered easily.

I reflected on that for a minute.  She might be right.  “Well…I never really thought about that, but I guess it has made it easier for me to train,” I finally responded with a newfound respect for my long-hidden talents.

“Subject change,” she announced.  “Sounds like you’ve done a lot of traveling.  Do you have a significant other somewhere in Ninjago?”  She seemed to sound indifferent, but I wasn’t sure as I watched her trace a finger on the comforter in front of her.

Deliberately delaying my response for a minute, I gazed thoughtfully at Arwyn as she lay in the soft halo of light that filtered in through her curtained window.  Would she care either way?  “Honestly, I met a few girls here and there and went out with them once or twice, but it never went further than that when I was traveling, and now I don’t have the time.”

I thought I may have heard her exhale suddenly, like she was holding her breath for a minute.  “What about you?” I tried to ask casually.  “I didn’t notice an extra toothbrush hanging in the bathroom.” 

To tell the truth, I had snooped all over the apartment for signs of a guy while she was showering, but the only things I had found without digging through drawers were framed photos of Arwyn and an older man whom I presumed was her father.

“I don’t go out much.  I really don’t take the time to look for guys,” she said without reservation.  “I wasted two and a half years of my life with a jerk in high school and college before I finally grew a spine and ditched him a couple of years ago.”  She did not try to hide the resentment in her voice. 

It was my turn to sigh with relief.  “What made him a jerk?” I asked, hoping she didn’t think I fit into the same category.

“I wouldn’t sleep with him, so he’d run off for a little while, then I’d stupidly take him back,” she said matter-of-factly.  “It took a while for me to finally wake up.”

I scowled in the dark, ashamed of the stereotypical male.  “And now you don’t trust any man?” I questioned, thinking of our exchange in Sensei Wu’s quarters and her earlier reactions every time I got close to her.

“Well, that and the next guy I dated who tried to control me and my boss’s harassment have not helped much,” came her truthful reply.  “Just as I’m sure your mother’s desertion probably keeps you from jumping into relationships,” she added offhandedly.

I felt like a slight shock went through me.  Although she probably had not meant to, she had struck a nerve, guessing at one of the repercussions of my mother’s abandonment of my father and me.  It was something I had tried to ignore for the last few years, but it had kept me from getting close to women.

From my silence, she must have figured it was time to change the subject again.  “Anyway…I really want to know more about you, but we could be here all night doing that, so maybe we should save it for later and talk about this ninja thing,” she went on quickly.  “How did you meet Sensei?”

I took a quick breath.  Thank goodness, a subject I could handle!  “He was at the top of the mountain I was climbing, saying he had been waiting for me.  He introduced me to the fact that an evil was threatening Ninjago and that I was the first of the chosen elemental masters.”

In the half-light, she seemed to develop a look of concentration.  “Really?  So why did you actually decide to do it?” she pressed.

“I knew it was the right thing to do…that this was what I was born to be,” I answered with certainty.

It wasn’t enough for her.  “But _how_ did you know?” she prodded insistently. 

“It just hit me that if he said I was chosen and Ninjago was threatened, this was how I could serve a purpose,” I responded patiently.  “Otherwise, I was doing nothing useful to anyone.  This way, I could actually work for the greater good and still challenge myself.”

Arwyn folded her arms on the bed and placed her chin on them.  “Being useful and helping people were two of the reasons I became a nurse.”

I saw an opportunity and grasped it quickly.  “Then just think of how many more people you can help by accepting your destiny and training with us as the Green Ninja.  You would be serving all of Ninjago, not just the people you see in your clinic.”

Arwyn did not respond other than to lower her forehead to her folded arms.  Sensing I was hitting at a weak point, I rose to my knees at the foot of the bed and rested my forearms on the edge of the mattress, leaning toward her.  “If you want to do the most good, here’s your chance,” I said in a low voice.

She did not raise her head from her arms, but I could hear her muffled voice as she protested, saying, “I’m a nurse, a healer, not a warrior or a soldier.  What good can I possibly do?  What would I do with my career, my life…such as it is…I don’t even know any martial arts…and my self-defense classes don’t count.”

I felt like I was going in for the kill.  Putting a tentative hand on her forearm, I whispered, “The power is in you.  We will teach you to use it.  We will not leave you.”

Lifting her head, Arwyn rolled onto her back and looked up at me where I leaned over the foot of the bed.  We were looking at each other upside down, our faces only a few inches apart.  Her eyes widened as she must have suddenly realized our close proximity.

I was pondering how her lips were parted and that her eyes were glinting more now in the semidarkness than they had earlier when I realized that my head was dipping slowly toward hers.  Catching myself, I straightened up, pushing quickly away from the foot of the bed.  **_What the hell am I doing?_**

Wiping the back of one hand across her eyes, Arwyn abruptly rose to a sitting position, putting more space between us.  “I-I don’t take to change very well,” she stammered uneasily, tucking her hair away from her face.  “I’m not sure I could do this.” 

I sat back on my heels, ran both hands through my hair, and took a deep breath.  **_What_** _did I almost do?  Now I’ve probably messed up what we had going!  I almost made a move on her!  What am I **thinking**?  She’s the Green Ninja, for Pete’s sake!  I can’t be thinking about her like **that!**   And what did she just say?  Oh, yeah…   _

Rubbing my closed eyelids with my fingertips, I made an attempt to focus and get back to the conversation before I lost track of everything.  “Change is never easy, but it is necessary and inevitable.  I’m pretty confident that you can do anything you set your mind to do.  You just have to agree to try.”

“Well, I don’t make huge decisions like this overnight, so I hope Sensei won’t mind giving me another day or so,” she responded as she dove back under the protection of her comforter.  From her pillow, Arwyn introduced another topic of conversation.  “Tell me about what it’s like to be a ninja, what you do to train, what the other guys are like,….”

As her list got longer, I settled back down on my bedroll with my arms crossed behind my head, and readied myself for an all-nighter.  I relaxed somewhat as I knew she may have distanced herself from me physically, but she was still willing to talk to me about the possibility of joining the team.  At this point, getting her onto the _Bounty_ was my main objective.  I could tackle the personal stuff later.  Or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please continue to read! It gets better as it goes...


	2. Seriously, What Is Up With Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole and Arwyn’s souls have awakened to each other. But that should be each one’s separate little secret, right? No one else should know. Not even the other person…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! If you do, I'd appreciate knowing it!

 

****Arwyn’s POV**

It was about three A.M. when I finally thought about shutting down for the night.  My alarm would go off at six, and I was gonna be wasted for work.  But that was my fault.

I had asked Cole to tell me all he could think of regarding being a ninja, Spinjitzu, training, the other guys and their personalities, adventures they had had, battles they had been in, the enemies, and anything else he could think of adding.  And so he had.  All of it really had me thinking about which decision I needed to make.

After that, we had gotten back to the question-and-answer session about our personal lives, likes, and dislikes.  He was so easy to talk to!  I now felt like I knew more about him than I had about any other guy I had ever been around.  And I liked him even more.

He was not as arrogant as I had originally thought, just enough to make him really confident and not afraid to try things.  He was also clever,  interesting, courageous, well-traveled, a little vengeful, charming, caring, trustworthy…

I was certainly more comfortable with him now than I had been on the ship. 

I was even welcoming that potential kiss when we were so close on the bed, but he messed that up by stopping all of a sudden like somebody had jerked him back by the collar.  That did _nothing_ for my confidence.  _Oh, well, Arwyn, you can’t be doing that with someone you’ve just met, anyway…on your bed, no less.  You’re not like that.  And if your parents knew…_

When the stupid clock went off after I got less than three hours of sleep, I smacked the snooze button and rolled over, wondering why I was so tired.  Then I remembered.  “Cole?” I called quietly, lifting my head from the pillow, not sure I had not been dreaming.

“I’m here,” he answered quickly, sitting up from his spot on the floor, pushing his lightly-tousled hair away from his forehead,  a little smile on his face.

_Why am I so happy and relieved to see him here in the growing light of dawn?_   “Just checking for my bodyguard.  Good morning,” I said lightly as I grabbed my robe and covered up quickly before slipping into the bathroom.  _You need to get a grip on yourself.  You’ve only known this guy for less than a day._   _There’s no such thing as love at first sight!_ I chided myself.  _Wait, who said anything about ‘love’?_  

A while later, as we sat down to breakfast, me still in my short, cotton robe since I hated dressing early, and Cole in his black T–shirt and gi pants, a knock sounded at the door.

“It’s six-thirty!  Who the hell…?” Cole uttered irritably as he quickly rose and headed for the door. 

From my seat at the café table in my small kitchen, I couldn’t see the living area at all, but the identity of the caller hit me immediately.  “It’s Jay,” I said quietly.  I could feel his electricity like static on a cold, dry morning.

Cole stopped in his tracks and looked at me with narrowed eyes.  “How do you know that?” he asked. 

“I can feel his snap, crackle, and pop,” I answered simply.  _How weird is that?_

He hesitated a second with a peculiar look on his face, then strode silently to the door.  After checking through the peephole, he unlocked the door and opened it, revealing a beaming Jay standing on the mat.  “What are you doing here?” was the only greeting the ninja of lightning got from his leader. 

“Well, good morning to you, too, Cole,” Jay said sarcastically as he slipped in past him and headed over to me.  “And top of the morning to you, Arwyn,” he said cheerfully, taking Cole’s seat at the little table.

“Morning, Jay.  Nice to see you again,” I greeted him with a smile as I raised my coffee mug for a life-sustaining sip.  “Would you like anything for breakfast?”

“Thanks,” he said, getting comfortable in the chair.  “But I grabbed something on my way out.”

Cole came to stand over him with a scowl, silently willing him to relinquish his chair.   Jay either didn’t get the hint, or wouldn’t, so the earth ninja slid his plate and mug over and grabbed a small stool to join us at the table, grumbling under his breath as his did so.  Jay barely slid him an amused glance out of the corner of his eye.

After I yawned for the second time since he’d walked in, Jay observed, “You’re looking a little tired, Arwyn.  Did you have trouble sleeping?”

“Cole was in my room and kept me up all night,” I answered suggestively.  Cole’s head snapped up, and he looked from me to Jay a little awkwardly.  _A little payback_.

“Really?” grinned Jay as he eyed his brother in black with raised eyebrows.  “Cole, you devil!”

Cole looked a little uneasy as he immediately defended himself.  “We were _talking_ all night.  Arwyn is really interested in everything we do, so she had a lot of questions.”  I glimpsed him looking at me pointedly as I grinned and shrugged.  “And you never answered _my_ question.  What are you doing here?”

“Duh.  Relieving you,” Jay said flippantly.  I glanced quickly at Cole.  _What?  When I just got this one broken in, they’re tag-teaming me?_

The big guy rejected that idea right away.  “I don’t need you to relieve me, Jay.  You can go on back….”

But Jay cut him short with his hand up, palm outward.  “Eh, eh, eh!  Take it up with Sensei Wu.  He sent me, and I’m not going back until this evening.”

Cole rubbed his face with both hands, protesting, “I got plenty of rest, and there’s nothing I need to be taking care of back home.”

“Yeah, you look like you slept a bunch,” Jay said flatly.  “I have orders.  You’re going back to the _Bounty_ , not me.”

I had finished my coffee and set the mug down.  “While you two decide who gets to spend an exciting day sitting in my office watching me work, I’m going to get ready to hit the trail,” I said as I rose from the table and headed to my bedroom. 

It was actually a little early for me to start getting ready.  I was excusing myself so Jay wouldn’t see how disappointed I was that he was taking Cole’s place. 

Trying to tamp that feeling down, I reminded myself that as long as I kept the ninja in a holding pattern, I couldn’t be monopolizing Cole’s time and attention.  He had other responsibilities.  Besides, I couldn’t be getting too attached to someone I may not see again once I made a decision about this Green Ninja business.  Right?

Finishing dressing with time to spare, I wandered out into the living area to meet my two new friends.  Cole had given up trying to convince Jay to go back to the ship and was now aggravating him with instructions on how to protect the Green Ninja. 

Jay’s eyes rolled liked marbles as he tolerated the lecture as long as he could before putting a stop to it.  “Enough!  I think I can handle the position of bodyguard today!  I’ve been up against skeletons and Serpentine often enough.  This should be a walk in the park.  Worry wart.”  He added the last part under his breath. 

“Fine,” retorted Cole.  “But keep your comlink on and call me immediately if anything happens.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at their friendly banter which had no hint of animosity.  I was gathering my things when I remembered the class I taught which was scheduled for the evening.  “Oh, Jay, I almost forgot.  I’ll be teaching  my self-defense class at five-thirty at the Fitness Center.  Maybe I could use you to demonstrate as the attacker.”

“Getting beat up by a bunch of women sounds good for this afternoon,” he responded with a grin.

“Don’t enjoy it too much, or I’ll tell Nya about it,” Cole threatened good-naturedly.  Jay cut him some eyes.

Since I had left my car at the clinic, riding last night to and from the ship in Cole’s Tread Assault, he decided to bring me to work, letting Jay deal with getting to the clinic on his own.  He seemed a little preoccupied on the drive, and was fighting morning traffic through the city in a vehicle larger than most, so I sat back and enjoyed the ride quietly.  I tried not to think of how much I wished he wasn’t leaving me. 

Once we got to the clinic and pulled into the parking lot, he reached back without a word and offered me his hand, which I took without hesitation.  Funny how I had discouraged his touch yesterday afternoon, but now I almost craved it… 

A moment later I was landing on my feet on the concrete with Cole facing me, as if we had practiced it often.  However, I really wouldn’t have minded it if he had surprised me like last time.

Giving my hand a squeeze, then reluctantly releasing it, Cole took a breath and started, “When Jay knocked on the door, you said you knew it was him because you could feel him.”  He looked at me inquisitively.  “What was that about?”

I cocked my head and thought a moment.  “I don’t know.  It’s just that since supper last night I noticed that I had these strange feelings on the ship that stopped when we left it.  Then Jay got to the apartment, and I had one of the feelings again until we separated from him a few minutes ago.”

“What kinds of feelings?” he asked with a brooding look like he was trying to figure something out. 

“Well, with Jay, it’s kind of exhilarating and electric.  Sitting next to Zane, I felt a cool calmness.  I’m guessing the heat and impatient tension was Kai.”  I glanced up at him.  “Why do you think that happened?”

“Possibly you’re sensing the elemental masters because of something the golden weapons awakened in you,” he answered thoughtfully, dropping his gaze to the ground.  “What do you feel with me?” he asked without looking up, letting his long bangs hide his eyes.

I considered that, mentally sorting through the many stimuli and emotions bombarding my mind and body at the moment.  I couldn’t find anything or remember something from last night.  I regretfully told him the truth.  “I don’t seem to be sensing anything.”

“Oh.  Okay,” he said quietly, finally looking up as Jay’s Storm Fighter flew low above the top of the next-door building, disappeared, and Jay dropped down to the roof.  _Did I just hurt his feelings by saying that?_ I thought worriedly _.  That is the last thing I want to do to him!_  Before I could say anything else, Jay jumped from the fire escape and ran over to us.

“Whew!  If it wasn’t for having to decide on a place to land, I’d have beaten you here.  That traffic looks like murder!” he laughed as he caught his breath. 

Seemingly lost in thought, Cole just commented, “Yeah.  It was,” before forcefully flinging his scythe away from him and transforming it into the Tread Assault before it hit the car on the far side of the lot. 

“Have a good one,” he said offhandedly, then flipped onto the cockpit and seated himself.  Just before driving off, he made eye contact with me and raised a finger in a little wave.  I waved back timidly.

“Huh,” Jay began.  “He seemed a little bugged about something.  What’s up?”

“Just the traffic,” I muttered as I watched the Tread Assault disappear around a corner.

It was then that I realized I had been wrong.  The intense, reassuring feeling of well-being, solidity, strength, and protection I had had since last night had been his.  It had left with him, and I missed it at once.

****Cole’s POV**

Okay.  That really got to me.  As the Green Ninja, she could sense _all_ of the other elemental masters, but not _me,_ the Master of Earth?  Why are those three more stimulating and noticeable while good ole, dependable, responsible Cole is not?

I headed straight for the _Bounty,_ ruminating the whole way about that and how much I hated being relieved without being consulted.  And I hated that I hated it! 

I didn’t need to be relieved, even though I hadn’t slept at all.  We had talked most of the night, like I’ve _never_ talked with anyone before, then I had stayed awake thinking about her and how to best protect her.  This was nothing I couldn’t handle. 

But why couldn’t I stop _thinking_ about her?

It’s not like I hadn’t been out with lots of women.  I had been popular in high school, met a couple of girls the short time I was at the performing arts school, and been _all over_ Ninjago.  Women were everywhere. 

But none had what I was looking for, and I dumped them before they could dump me.  I rarely dated anyone more than once or twice, and I _never_ let any of them get close to my heart. 

I also had not slept with any of them.   I wasn’t like most guys who just needed a place to sleep with somebody.  I’d need a reason, and I hadn’t met a woman yet who gave me a good one. 

But Arwyn seemed different.  It wasn’t just because she was beautiful and looked great last night in those clingy sleep clothes showing her long, slender legs and slim waist and firm, round…. _wait_ , **_what_** _?!_   _Stop it, Cole!_ I screamed at myself as the Tread Assault flickered around me, threatening to drop me, rolling, to the sandy ground over which I was speeding.  **_Focus_.**

She was also an excellent listener, considerate, strong, imaginative, funny, sympathetic, sarcastic, guarded, intelligent, independent, stubborn,…and the _chosen Green Ninja_.  _UGH!  I have to remember that and try not to see her as anything else!_   If she came to stay with us, I was to train her and be her protector, nothing else.  _Nothing_. 

I don’t know how, but I made it to the _Bounty_ without accidentally dispelling the Tread Assault en route.  Once I got there, I headed straight for the training room with the sand-filled, heavy punching bag.  I needed to vent. 

Luckily, I didn’t run into anyone else on the way there, since I was in no mood to talk.  I knew I needed to be reporting to Sensei Wu, but I had to get this frustration out of my system before I did that.

I had been trying to empty my mind while working the heavy bag over steadily for a good ten minutes when I heard a loud tapping from the doorway.  Ceasing the beating I was giving the bag, I wiped my brow on my sleeve, and turned, panting, to see Sensei Wu with his bamboo staff watching me.

“Nya said she saw you arrive about fifteen minutes ago, Cole.  Why have you not come to report to me?” the Master inquired.  He had an intent look which led me to follow his gaze to the ripped seam in the bag from which sand was running, collecting in a scattered pile on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Sensei,” I said, bowing slightly.  “I needed to…work something out for a minute before burdening you.”

“Yes, well, come to my quarters to burden me,” he said as he turned and headed down the hall, adding, “Now.”

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

I led Cole into my quarters, settling myself on the mat in seiza and removing my rice hat.  He followed me in and shut the door quietly, kneeling on the mat across from me.  After pouring two small cups of tea and handing him one, I took a slow, appreciative sip and studied my first student. 

He had removed his armor and scabbard before pummeling the heavy bag, and his hair stuck to his furrowed brow which glistened with sweat.  He swiped the black locks to the side, wiping his brow on his sleeve again before taking a long drink from his cup, draining it.  He looked tired and pensive.

Had something happened?  Hiding the sudden apprehension that welled up inside me, I asked calmly, “How is Arwyn?” while refilling his cup.  

“She’s safely at her clinic with Jay right now,” he said a little resentfully before quickly adding, “Nothing troublesome happened after we left here last night.”

I relaxed more, knowing that.  “So what _did_ happen after you left the ship with Arwyn?”

Cole paused a moment with a thoughtful expression.  “We did a lot of talking about everything all night, and…I think the golden weapons may have awakened some things in her already.”

“Such as…,” I encouraged him with piqued curiosity.

“Well, I first noticed that she had a powerful punch, then she surprised me when she yanked me into her apartment, although I know I outweigh her by almost a hundred pounds…,” he began to explain.

“She punched and yanked you?” I repeated, amused at the thought as well as concerned.  _What have they been doing?_

My team leader reddened somewhat and sheepishly looked elsewhere.  “Irrelevant story.  She just punched me on the arm and wouldn’t let me stay outside overnight.”

“So you stayed _inside_ her apartment overnight?” I clarified.

“Yes, Sensei.”  He looked down at his cup, as though expecting admonishment for doing something so improper with a young woman he barely knew.

_Any means necessary_ … “Well, it seems that you and she came to an accord.  Does she trust you more now?”

“Yes, Sensei,” he answered quickly, lifting his head and brightening somewhat, his brow smoothing.

“Good, good.  Have you noticed other things that seemed… extraordinary?” I prodded.

Cole paused again.  “She can sense the elemental masters when they are within a certain range.”

My eyebrows twitched up at talk of her sensitivity.  _So soon_.  “Indeed?  You said ‘they’.  Are you included?”

He lowered his head slightly, then sat up straighter, his face blank.  “She said she couldn’t feel my element, only the other three.”  Did I hear dejection in his voice?

“I see.  Perhaps you are simply not as easy for her to discern as the other three,”  I said, making an effort to placate him.  “I would not be concerned about that.”  He only nodded.  “Has she made a decision about accepting her destiny?”

“Not yet, Sensei.  She said she can’t make decisions like this overnight and may need a couple of days yet,” sighed my earth ninja.

“I understand.  It is good that she is not a rash thinker.  We will simply continue to provide her protection until she makes her decision,” I said, checking my empty cup.

“I wanted to talk to you about that, Sensei,” my student began hesitantly.  “I really didn’t need to be relieved this morning.  I could have stayed with her all day.  In fact, I can go back tonight…”

I stopped him with a raised finger.  “That won’t be necessary, Cole.  I intend on sending Zane to stay with her overnight,” I informed him as I poured myself another cup.

“But, Sensei, she and I developed a rapport last night…,” his voice was a little louder and his tone more urgent as he attempted to reason with me.

“I don’t doubt that,” I acknowledged, but I did not need him getting too emotionally involved so soon.

“…so I need to be the one with her,” he continued. 

_Hmm, too late._ “In truth, she needs to be exposed to the personalities and temperaments of each of you in turn,” I countered firmly.

“But, Sensei…”  I quieted him with a raised finger again.  I wasn’t sure where this was heading, but I had my suspicions and was uneasy with it.  It was not like Cole to argue with me.  _He must feel strongly about something to react this way._

“Zane will stay with her tonight,” I repeated.  “Kai will relieve him tomorrow if Arwyn has still not made a decision by then.”  I watched as his jaw tensed and relaxed several times, his neck and face flushing pinker.  _He feels **very** strongly_.  I hoped this was not going to cause a rift of some kind.

“Thank you for the report, Cole.  You may go about your chores and training now,” I said dismissively.  “Then get some rest.”

Rising from the mat, he bowed respectfully and marched silently out of the room, closing the door carefully behind him.  A minute later, I heard him whacking away at the heavy bag once again.

****Cole’s POV**

I left Sensei’s quarters worse off than when I had arrived on the ship, although I wasn’t sure why.  Because Jay, Zane, and Kai would be the ones with Arwyn over the next nearly thirty-six hours, or because I didn’t like being told ‘no’? 

First of all, I was _not_ jealous!  Then, Sensei was usually pretty flexible regarding my requests.  He wouldn’t even budge on this one.  What was up with that?  I wasn’t sure what I was going to do over the next day and a half, but I had to get control of myself soon.

I got back to the heavy bag and began pounding it like there was no tomorrow, each blow harder than the last.  My arms and shoulders burned, and my knuckles ached, but it wasn’t helping.  _Just a little harder!_   _One last time_ , I thought…

As I delivered the blow, sand flew everywhere, spewing from a new, larger rip in the seam near where my fist had struck last.  A shower of sand rained down, sticking to my sweaty face and settling in my hair, over my shoulders, all over the wooden floor.  I spit the gritty grains from my mouth, feeling the crunch between my teeth.  _Perfect_.

“Holy crap, Cole!  Why’d you destroy the punching bag?!”  Nya’s voice from the doorway startled me, and I whirled to face her, ashamed that someone had witnessed my loss of restraint.  She stood wide-eyed watching the mess on the floor get bigger as the bag hemorrhaged its contents.

“Umm…”  I tried to think of something, but…”I got nothin’,” I admitted, dropping my arms by my sides and looking at the split bag.  “Would you happen to have something I could use to fix this?” I asked guiltily.

“I’ll get the sail-repair kit and a broom,” she said, sighing, as she left the room.

When she returned, we silently got to work cleaning up the mess and repairing the bag, although I told her I could take care of it alone.  After a few minutes of this, Nya finally spoke.  “I saw you from the bridge when you got back this morning.  You didn’t look very happy.  Did something happen with Arwyn?”

I stiffened at her words.  _What the hell do I tell her?  “Oh, I’m just crazy for this girl, see…”_ I decided not to go that route.

“No, nothing’s happened with her.  Nothing’s happened with anyone.  Jay got to her apartment alright, and by now he should be getting pretty bored sitting in her office while she sees patients.”  _There, that should be good enough_.

But it wasn’t.  “Cole, you don’t normally get this worked up when ‘nothing has happened’,” she said.  “Did she get ugly and bitchy and fight with you?  What did she do to you last night?  Is she refusing to accept she’s the Green Ninja?” she asked, getting a bit worked up herself.

“No, no!  Nothing like that!  She’s great, she’s a great girl!  She was just broad-sided by everything last night,” I said defensively as I stitched the canvas bag with a thick cord.  “That’s all.  That’s why she was kinda standoffish.  But she’s really great.”

Nya stopped her sweeping,not saying anything for a minute, causing me to stop and look up at her from where I sat cross-legged on the floor.  “What?” I asked, clueless. 

One corner of her mouth was turned up in an amused way as she studied me intently.  “Cole Montanaro, you just said ‘she’s a great girl’ _three_ times.  What is going on with you?”

I started to say, “Noth…,” but she cut me off quickly with a hand in my face.

“Do not say ‘nothing’ and lie to me!” she laughed.  “I already know from Jay that you spent all night in her bedroom talking with her.  Then you tried to talk him out of relieving you, even though it’s obvious to anyone who knows you that you’ve been without sleep for more than twenty-four hours.” 

She paused, but she wasn’t done.  “You get home looking like the Serpentine just trashed your favorite village, and then proceed to beat the hell out of the punching bag before _and_ after you talked with Sensei.  Something is eating you, and I want to know what,” she finally finished, resting her fist on her hip.

_Damn Jay and his lightning mouth.  Did I even make it home before he called Nya?_ I looked away from her and sighed.  “I don’t know what to tell you, Nya.  In fact, I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, you’re just going to have to,” she insisted with a concerned expression as she sat on the floor next to me.  “I won’t leave you alone about it until you do, and you know that.”

I could tell by the resolute look in her eyes that Nya would badger me about this until she finally broke me.  _May as well save myself some misery_ , I thought before saying, “You cannot repeat a thing I’m about to say to a living soul!  Not even Jay!”

She smiled gently and traced a small X over her chest with a finger.

Propping my elbows on my knees, I dropped my head into my hands and took a deep breath, feeling defeated.  “It’s stupid.  Yeah, we spent all night talking about the ninja business and ourselves.  I felt so comfortable around her.  I’ve _never_ opened up to anyone the way I did with Arwyn.  She now knows more about me than anyone I’ve ever met, even my own father.”  

I lifted my head and looked at Nya. “She was wonderful to be with, and now…,” I broke off to collect my thoughts.  “Now I guess it’s just a stupid crush, but I can’t take a breath without thinking about her.” 

I noticed Nya’s smile get bigger, and I kept going quickly.  “But this isn’t my first rodeo.  I know it’ll wear off.  It has to, since she’s the Green Ninja and destined for bigger things than being with me.  If she even accepts our offer.”

Nya frowned and shook her head.  “Whoa, whoa, whoa!  What makes her so high above you that this couldn’t be more than a crush?  That part is just nonsense.”

“I’ll have a responsibility to train, respect, support, and protect her, not chase her around like some love-sick puppy.  I can’t be thinking like this and still set a good example for the rest of the team,” I argued, fully believing my logic.

“Cole, you can’t help how you feel, and you wouldn’t be doing anything wrong if everyone knew about it,” she tried to convince me with a hand on my shoulder.

“No one can know, not the guys, not Sensei, not Arwyn!” I said a little forcefully.  She gripped my shoulder instead of removing her hand.

“I won’t tell anyone, Cole, but if this lasts, you can’t hold it in forever,” Nya said quietly.  “Arwyn would certainly need to know how you felt, and there are two other unattached guys on this ship,” she added with a warning note in her voice.

Footsteps sounded down the hall just then, rapidly approaching the training room.  _Well, speak of the devils…_  I glanced quickly at Nya who traced the X again.  Kai and Zane stepped into the doorway, eyes widening at the sight of the mess we had only halfway cleaned up. 

“Whoa, Cole!  What’d the punching bag do to deserve this?” asked Kai with a laugh.

I resumed my stitching.  “Just a seam working itself apart,” I said briefly. 

Zane spoke up.  “Sensei Wu informed us that you were back, and that I would be looking after Arwyn tonight.  We came to see how things had gone with her, and what I can expect.”

_Great._

****Arwyn’s POV**

By about noon Jay was ready to jump out of his skin.  Doing nothing but sitting in my office was really getting to the hyper blue ninja.  I tried to distract him when I could by asking him some of the same questions about being a ninja that I had asked Cole, just for another point of view, but it wasn’t quite enough.  He was probably wishing he had taken his leader up on his offer to stay with me.  At least Cole could sit still for longer periods. 

As for me, I could barely keep my mind straight enough to avoid making a mistake in my work.  Between worrying about whether or not to follow my supposed destiny and having invasive thoughts about a certain ninja in black, I was a scatterbrained mess.

I had distanced myself from relationships with men for the past two years, only going on casual dates and then not answering phone calls if I had a twinge of doubt about the guy.  

How was it that, after all of that, Cole had etched himself onto my heart after just one night?  And how could I manage to admit this to myself or anyone else when the future seemed more uncertain than usual?

Even Jay noticed my absent-mindedness a couple of times when he directed some remark to me, and I totally ignored him because I had not heard him.  I hated looking like a nitwit.

At last four-thirty came, and I drove us to the Fitness Center for my self-defense class.  Jay was overjoyed to be released from his little cell and doing something.  He was too cute like that!   

All of my female students thought so, too.  Not one of them complained about being man-handled by the handsome, funny, and energetic guy.   

He had come in without his armor so he wouldn’t draw excess attention to himself.  Of course, the place was full of women, so he got plenty, anyway, and seemed flattered by it all.

After the class, my naturally-platinum-blonde girlfriend, Sofiya Iskall, who taught the yoga class before mine, came over to chat before we left for the day. 

“Arwyn, who’s your cute little friend?” she asked with interest, sidling up to me and eyeing Jay as he drank a bottle of water by the exit, waiting for me to wrap things up and head to the apartment. 

“His name’s Jay, he’s a friend from a dojo across town, and he’s taken,” I summarized with an apologetic smile.  “But there are more where he came from who aren’t,” I added optimistically.

“A dojo?  Other guys? Are you getting into the martial arts?” she asked dubiously.

“Eh, I’m thinking about training for a belt.  He’s here to check out what I do already,” I lied easily.  “Anyway, I did meet some other great guys at the dojo.  One in particular is really, _really_ nice,” I added a little dreamily.  Maybe too much so.

“Arwyn, you never say anything about a guy.”  Sofiya smiled at me with a little surprise.  “Is he hot?”

“ _Incredibly_ so,” I said breathlessly.  “He’s handsome and built like that wrestler who’s done some of those kids’ movies, has Italian blood, thick, black hair, a great sense of humor, is charming, intelligent…”  _I could go on and on…_

When I paused for a breath, Sofiya asked, “Does anyone else know how you feel about this incredibly hot guy?”

“No, I just met him,” I answered quickly.

She glanced over my shoulder.  “Well, someone else does now.”

I whirled to find Jay standing close behind me with a toothy grin.  _Oh. My. God_.  His spark had felt constant to me, so I hadn’t noticed him get any closer.  “What did you hear?” I gasped in a panic.

“Just how incredibly hot you think Cole is,” he replied, never losing the grin.

“’Cole’,” Sofiya said musingly with a thoughtful expression and a finger on her chin.  “Sounds hot.”

“You _cannot_ tell a _soul_ about that!” I cried, pointing a finger at the eavesdropping ninja.  “Not even Nya!”

He acted a little puzzled by that.  “Why not?  I’m sure Cole would _love_ to know about this!”   

“I just _met_ all of you!  I can’t be letting him know I feel this way so soon!  I _shouldn’t_ be feeling this way so soon!  This is not like me!” I rambled, flustered.  I turned on Sofiya.  “Why didn’t you tell me he was coming up behind me?!”

She shrugged her regret.  “He moved pretty quickly, and you were going on about the wonderful Italian.  I didn’t want to interrupt.”

I slapped a hand to my forehead.  I could feel my fortifications crumbling around me.  I didn’t need any of the ninja thinking I was man-hungry!  _How can I keep Jay quiet without killing him and hiding the body?_

Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my stuff and turned to Sofiya.  “I’m gonna head home with my humiliation now.  I’ll see you Thursday.”

She reached out and grabbed my arm before I could walk away, with Jay trailing me.  “Hey, girl, there’re worse things than a guy knowing you care about him.  Don’t worry about it unless he doesn’t feel the same.  Not every guy is gonna treat you like Keiji did.”

I grimaced at the name and nodded, sighing and patting her hand.  “Thanks.  I’m trying to remember that.  Not successful yet.”  I glanced at my blue shadow and headed for the exit.  “Come on, Jay, I’m starving.  Let’s go pick up something before we head back home.”

Opening the door for me, he interjected, “Actually I got a call from Zane that he’s waiting for us at your apartment with something he fixed earlier.”  _Tag, again_.  “And who’s Keiji?” he asked innocently.

“Just a guy I knew,” I replied, heading to my car, not wanting to get into it with him.  He seemed to accept that and moved in front of me to open my driver’s door.  These ninja were a really polite bunch.

When we had buckled in and were steering onto the street, he turned to me with a smirk.  “Now, let’s talk about Cole.”  However, they were also meddlesome.

I thumped my forehead against the top of the steering wheel when we stopped at a red light.  “Could you just pretend you didn’t hear anything about that?”

“Nope,” he said, shaking his head emphatically.  “Inquiring minds want to know.  Spill the beans.”

Sighing heavily, I considered how much I could allow myself to tell the nosy man in the seat next to me, the brother-in-arms of the man I could not get out of my head.  I really needed to be saying these things to Sofiya, but Jay was available and eager, and already knew, so… _Here goes nothing…_

I took a deep breath and began blathering away.  “I think he’s fantastic, though not perfect, but so interesting, caring, dedicated, funny, charming.  He was respectful and interested in what I had to say.  I know he’s trying to convince me to join the team, but he was never really pushy about it.”  I took a quick breath and continued before I lost my courage.

“We have things in common like sketching, reading, wanting to help people, being stubborn and strong-willed.  He’s already pulled a couple of stunts on me as payback for the way I acted toward him.  He can dance and I can’t, so he said even if I break his foot trying, he promised to teach me when I go to the _Bounty._ If I go,” I corrected quickly.

I had been watching the road as I spoke, so I finally glanced at Jay for his reaction to my fast-paced confession.  He was grinning at me in such a knowing way that I had to laugh nervously. 

“Okay, I get that you think Cole’s awesome, the way I think Nya is, but what’s Keiji got to do with this?” he asked a little hesitantly.

Frowning, I answered bitterly, “Keiji Endor was the first guy I thought I loved, the main reason I’m not with anyone now.  After he broke my heart several times, and I ran out of tears, I finally kicked him to the curb and swore not to fall for someone quickly and risk that type of thing happening again.”

“Cole’s a better man than that.  He wouldn’t do that to you,” Jay said with certainty, shaking his head.

“Cole can’t know about this!” I insisted.  “I’ve been hurt before.  I want to be sure this time before I make myself so vulnerable.”

“Hmm.  That could take a while,” he commented thoughtfully.  “Have you decided about coming over to the _Bounty_?”

We were pulling into the lot by my apartment building.  “Almost,” I answered simply.  I had pretty much made my decision, but I was still examining it before I announced it.

Zane was waiting by my door with a picnic basket when Jay and I parked nearby.  _Ah, the cool, calming breeze…_   As fast as Jay seemed, Zane still beat him to my car door as I rummaged for my purse.  _What’s with the doors?_ I wondered as I exited the car, greeted him warmly, and thanked him for the help. _Should I be tipping?_

“What’d you cook tonight, Zane?” Jay asked hungrily as we entered my apartment, following the ninja in white as he headed into the kitchen with his basket. 

“Rigatoni in a butternut squash sauce with chicken breast, sweet peas, basil, and Asiago cheese,” Zane informed him, sounding like a true chef.  “With fresh fruit and tiramisu for dessert.”

Jay seated himself at the small table, needing only a fork and knife in his hands to complete the amusing picture of an eager kid waiting to be fed.

I started pulling out plates as Zane was emptying his basket.  “Thanks for bringing the food, Zane, but I really could have bought us pizza or something.  Do ninja eat like this every night?” I asked, remembering the sumptuous meal he had prepared the night before, although I had had no appetite for it.

Divvying up the food onto three plates, Zane explained, “I tried to cook something special that Cole might appreciate.  He was in poor spirits all day.  Unfortunately, when I was leaving, he still seemed very preoccupied and was not eating very much.”

I kept my head down as I poured iced tea into glasses, feeling guilty that his mood was my fault somehow. 

“Yeah, he left us this morning looking a little upset over something,” Jay stated as he waited for me to sit at the table before digging in.  “Nya said he ruptured the heavy punching bag, but wouldn’t say why.”  

Although I was focusing on my food, I knew he cast a glance at me.  _How the heck do you break a heavy bag?_ I wondered with amazement _._

Zane nodded after swallowing a bite.  “He was quite aggressive while sparring with Kai, also, but said very little all day.  He only told me what I could expect when I came here tonight.”  Turning to me, he continued, “He said he stayed at your bedside, but I believe you may be more comfortable if I stay outside instead…”

“Absolutely not,” I said quickly.  “There’s no need for you to be uncomfortable, and I’ll not have the police being called by the neighbors because they see you lurking outside.”

Zane lifted his glass and scoffed a little.  “The neighbors will not…”

I interrupted him with an impatient wave of my hand.  “Cole and I had this debate last night, and where did _he_ end up?”

“Looks like you’re a house cat tonight, Zane,” laughed Jay over his plate.

Zane still looked ill at ease on the issue, but responded only with, “As you wish.”

Patting his hand with a smile, I tried to make him feel less perturbed.  “Don’t worry, Zane.  I didn’t bite Cole, I promise not to bite you.”

Jay didn’t help smooth matters.  “Unless you want her to,” he said with a teasing wink.

Zane looked at his brother with confusion, then mortification as he comprehended Jay’s suggestion.  “I think _not!_ ” he exclaimed.  “I would _never_ propose that to Arwyn!”

He looked so agitated, I had to laugh at his expression.  “It’s okay, Zane!  We’ll both be safe tonight.”

“I’ll say,” Jay declared, stuffing in another bite of rigatoni.

Eyeing Zane fondly, I wondered what Sofiya would think of him.  If I joined them, right?

****Cole’s POV**

After finally cleaning up the sandy mess with Nya’s help,  and telling the guys a little about my time with Arwyn, I had wandered around the ship doing chores and odd jobs, trying to stay occupied. 

Right after lunch, Kai, Zane, and I had decided to do a little sparring.  We started out okay, but then they both started talking.  _Couldn’t you two just shut your traps and fight?!_

The conversation quickly turned to Arwyn and how we were going to train her if she came to stay with us.  Zane reminded us then that he was going to her place overnight and mentioned he was going to cook something nice and bring her supper. 

That was the first thing that irritated me.

At the time, Zane was watching us while Kai and I were circling each other, both of us looking for an opening to lay into the other.  Kai held an oak bokken with both hands, as I quietly spun my bo staff around me, waiting for Mr. Impatience to attack. 

Instead, he made the stupid remark to Zane that Arwyn was kind of hot and how he would turn tonight’s ‘excellent’ supper into a date if he were him. 

That was the second irritating thing.  _Oh, gimme an excuse, Firewalker!_

Before he could finish the next idiotic comment about it being a good thing _he_ wasn’t the one on the night watch, I suddenly stopped the spinning, swiftly seized the end of the bo staff with both hands like it was a scythe cutting wheat, and swept his legs out from under him. 

Irritating thing number three _._

When he sprawled flat on his back, I sprang forward, ready to pin him to the deck with the staff.  Although taken off guard, he stopped me by parrying with the bokken, somehow eluded me and jumped to his feet. 

We just went at each other from there.

By the time I heard Nya yelling my name, the bokken was in splinters on the main deck, and I had pinned Kai by his shoulders on the steps to the quarterdeck.  Both of us gripped the bo staff pressing against his upper chest, our teeth bared and sweat pouring.

Panting hard, I suddenly realized I may be hurting my fiery brother and pulled him to his feet with the staff.  He faked a couple of gasps, then asked, “Where did _that_ come from, Cole?!    _I’m_ supposed to be the aggressive one!” 

Zane was standing nearby with a concerned expression, holding another bokken for possible use on my head. 

Lloyd and Nya were up on the quarterdeck outside of the bridge. The boy was cheering the action on, but Kai’s sister stood with both hands on her hips looking at me like I needed to get a grip on something less tangible than the bo staff.

I glanced a little remorsefully at Kai, but toughened up again.  “You need to be ready for anything,” I said gruffly.  “And show some respect for your future teammate!”

He laughed uneasily.  “I usually am!  And what did I say, anyway?”

I didn’t answer as I strode away to remove my armor.  _Seriously, what is up with me?_

Even Sensei was eyeing me oddly at supper time.  He didn’t say anything to me, like he knew I had been pissed this morning, but I knew he was watching me and thinking…

Anyway, after barely eating Zane’s ‘excellent’ meal, although I did eat all of the tiramisu, I left the table as quickly as possible.  Kai’s voice grated on my nerves tonight, for some reason.  Nya and Lloyd were the only ones I could manage to talk to civilly. 

I spent the rest of the time before Jay got back doodling in the bunkroom, some of which wasn’t suitable for children’s eyes. 

I had wanted to call Jay earlier, but I didn’t want to look anxious or obvious about anything.  Having Nya know how I felt was more than I had planned on already. 

Finally, at about eight in the evening, I heard his inane laughter from the game room, and I hopped off my bunk and headed over there.

I found Jay and Nya snuggling on the couch.  They were too busy to notice me.   Geez, he had only been gone about thirteen hours!  But, then again, it had been almost that long since I’d heard anything about Arwyn, and _I_ was about to lose it.  Go figure…

“Jay!”  He leapt like a cat off of the couch and about six feet away from Nya when he heard my voice.  Laughing nervously, he gasped, “Ah, dude!  I thought you were Kai for a second.”

“Got a little guilt, eh?” I smirked.  Nya just giggled a little at Jay’s reaction and threw her arms around his neck when he settled back down beside her.  Honestly, they were quite cute together, but I had business to attend to.

Standing over them with my arms crossed over my chest, I went into ninja-leader mode and started grilling him.  “Have you reported to Sensei?”

“Yeah, I just got done.”  He nuzzled Nya’s neck, probably hinting that he had other things on his mind, and I should go, but he didn’t give me my seat back at Arwyn’s place this morning, so guess what, buddy?

Nodding, I said, “Good, good,” ignoring his annoyed look when he realized I wasn’t gone yet.  _Get a room_.  “How is Arwyn doing?”  I tried to sound nonchalant, glancing purposely at Nya when she turned her attention to me and away from Jay.  _Not a word!_

“Arwyn’s fine, nothing happened,” he replied somewhat evasively. 

_Hmm…what happened?_ “So did you talk to her about joining us?”

“Yeah.  She said she’s almost made a decision, but she didn’t say much else…about that,” he answered, adding, “Other than asking a few questions about what we do.”

“How was her class?” I inquired with a smile.  I was setting him up with this one.

“Good!  I had women all over me—,” he choked up when he remembered who was sitting next to him and started backpedaling rapidly.  “Uh, I mean, she used me to demonstrate, just that, nothing else, and I didn’t really even enjoy it!”

Nya rolled her eyes and blew it off.  “Whatever.”  Jay glared at me.

“And then…?” This was like pulling teeth!

“I met a friend of hers, a yoga instructor…”  Again he glanced nervously at Nya.  “And we, uh, drove to Arwyn’s place.  Zane was there, and we ate supper, and I came back here.  Nothing else.  Nothing.”  He was killing me with the ‘nothing’ thing.

“I’m guessing she was okay with Zane staying overnight?”  Although **_I_** wasn’t.

He laughed.  “Zane’s the uncomfortable one.  He acted like he’s never been around a woman before.” 

_Good.  He can stay that way._ Thinking back to his evasiveness, I questioned, “Did she have anything important to tell you?  About _anything_?” 

Jay looked at me wide-eyed, then glanced away, saying, “No,” quickly.  The dude could not lie to save his life.

“What did she tell you, Jay?” I pressed with a forced smile.  Did I have to torture him for information?  Could I?

“Absolutely nothing!” he insisted, getting a little agitated.  Nya cleared her throat and drilled me with a look.  I figured I’d better back off before I got walloped.

I dropped my arms to my sides.  “Okay, great.  So long as everything’s alright with her.  Was Sensei satisfied with your report?”

“Heh.  He didn’t ask as many questions as _you_ did!” he scoffed, putting his feet up on the couch and pulling Nya onto his lap. 

_What. Ever._ “Good job, Jay.  Thanks for the briefing,” I said, trying to sound like this had been official business.  He looked relieved that I was done.

Nya gave me an understanding look as I turned to leave the game room, passing Kai and Lloyd with a nod as they were coming in. 

As I walked back to the bunkroom, the yelling of the fire ninja at the one pawing his sister finally gave me a good chuckle.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos are appreciated :) Namaste!


	3. Did Kai Just Hang Up On Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having the other guys-especially Kai-spending time with Arwyn is eating Cole up! Having Kai disrespect him makes things even worse!

****Arwyn’s POV**

After Jay left for the _Bounty_ , and I had washed the dishes, Zane and I talked for a while about life as a ninja.  I then had to convince him that I didn’t mind having him stay in the apartment while I showered. 

Later, I spread out his pillows and blankets in the spot Cole had occupied, as the Master of Ice showered, wishing the whole time that a muscular ninja in black with damp bangs plastered against his forehead would come strolling out of the bathroom.

No such luck, but Zane was not a bad second. 

However, when we settled down for the night, I started to wonder if I was going to have problems sleeping with him nearby.  The intense cool feeling I got from Zane almost had me shivering, but I had gotten so little sleep after staying up most of the night with Cole that I must have passed out after firing only three more questions at Zane.  

I woke to my alarm clock at six, slamming the offending instrument before pulling the comforter tighter around me against the cold and rolling over to face the window.  I was a little surprised to see a tall, broad-shouldered figure standing there, gazing out. 

My heart leapt, as my first thought, after ‘intruder!’, was ‘Cole!’, but then I recalled the night before and realized this guy was wearing white.  “Good morning, Zane,” I said as I sat up, trying not to sound disappointed.

He turned, smiling.  “Good morning.  I forgot to ask when you usually rise.”

I tried to smooth the curls I knew were going in every direction.  “Unfortunately, at this time.  Have you been up all night?”

“Of course.  I do not sleep on guard duty,” he answered as he took one last look out the window before picking up his bedding.

“Don’t you ninja sleep _once_ in a while?” I grumbled as I threw back my comforter and headed to the bathroom.

I took the time to dress in my scrubs and do my hair, since I wasn’t sure how Zane would react to my robe and jammies.  By the time I got into the kitchen, the good-looking ninja had already prepared breakfast.

“Zane, really?  Pancakes and eggs?” I exclaimed with surprised pleasure.  “Thank you so much, but why did you go to all the trouble?  I usually only have toast and coffee.”

“You need better than that,” he said while he flipped a pancake onto a plate.  “Especially when you begin training with us,” he added coolly, giving me a sidelong glance.

I didn’t answer him, just poured myself a cup of coffee, and leaned against the counter, watching him while he finished cooking.  _I wonder what Cole is having for breakfast…_

“Zane, do you really believe I’m the Green Ninja?” I asked, but I knew his answer.  Heck, **_I_** knew the answer.

“Without a doubt,” was his response as he placed the plate of hotcakes on the counter next to me.  “I can sense the power issuing from you, waiting to be harnessed and honed.”  He held my gaze with his own ice-blue one for a long moment like he was searching for something.  Strangely, it didn’t make me feel even a bit awkward.

Unexpectedly, a penetrating warmth began at the back of my head and spread into my chest.  It had nothing to do with Zane’s stare, thoughts of Cole, or my sips of coffee. 

“Kai’s here,” I noted.  Zane regarded me without surprise, then turned his head toward the door when a knock came a few seconds later. 

“You sensed him before I did,” he observed as he walked to the door to let in the next tag-teamer.

Kai breezed in, dropping his Sword of Fire on the couch.  “Hey, Zane!  I smell pancakes!”  When he entered the kitchen and saw me in the corner, he slowed his step to a swagger.  “Good morning, Arwyn!  You’re looking quite refreshing, I mean, _refreshed_ this morning!  I guess you didn’t keep Zane up the way I hear you did with Cole.”  A sly smile and raised eyebrow punctuated his innuendo.

Zane rolled his eyes as he walked into the kitchen behind him, but didn’t comment.

“Morning, Kai,” I welcomed the attractive, but crazy-haired, man with a smile.  “Yeah, I let Zane rest, although I don’t think he took advantage of that and actually slept.”

“Ah, Zane doesn’t actually sleep most of the time, anyway,” he said, looking over his shoulder at the ninja in white who narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly.  “I mean, he does okay with just a little,” he amended quickly. 

Zane changed the subject.  “Did you have breakfast before you left, Kai?  I made plenty here for all of us.”

Kai shook his head.  “No, I didn’t.  Cole was making oatmeal or something, and I got worried about what he might put in mine.  If it was even edible.”

I cocked my ear at the mention of the ninja leader’s name.  Chuckling, I asked, “What’s so bad about his oatmeal?”

“Oh, it’s not just his oatmeal,” responded Kai with a grimace while pouring himself a mug of coffee.  “He’s already not the greatest cook on the _Bounty,_ but then after the way he tried to rip me a new one sparring yesterday, I’m not sure if I want him near my food for a while.  I’m still not certain what set him off.”

“How did he act after I left?” inquired Zane as he plated breakfast.  

Kai grabbed his share and followed me to the table.  “About the same as he did the rest of the day.  Moody and avoiding everybody.  Nya and Jay were the only ones he really spoke to for more than a minute.”

Jay’s name made my heart leap into my throat.  _Crap!_   Could he keep a secret, or did I need to plan an assassination?  I tried to remain calm as I poured syrup over my pancakes.  “Does Cole act like that very often?”

“Not really,” replied Zane as he sat at the small table with his plate.  “Usually only when he has a major issue that he is working on.  He is fairly serious-minded and very responsible, but he does not have a difficult personality.”

“But when he’s pissed about something, pray you’re not a target,” Kai said between bites.  “He can react immediately, like I do, but he can also be really quiet and sneaky about stuff, like the adage ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’.”

I smiled to myself, thinking about how we had already butted heads, and he had then gotten my attention with the Tread Assault stunts.  He was definitely a force to be reckoned with. 

Sitting back in his chair, Kai grabbed his mug and looked at me over the rim.  “No pressure, but part of Cole’s problem may be you, Arwyn.”

He jolted me to attention with that.  What did he know?!  “Wh-what do you mean by that?” was all I could manage while avoiding eye contact.

“Cole likes to have control over things and get problems resolved as soon as possible,” Kai explained.  “The longer he waits for you to make a decision, the antsier he’ll get.”

“We also need to start your training without more delay,” added Zane, as he snagged another pancake with his fork.

I sighed.  Was I relieved or disappointed that that may be the only issue tormenting him?  “No pressure, right?” I tried a little laugh.  The fire and ice ninja just looked expectantly at me.  I rose from the table and took my empty plate to the sink where I started preparing to wash the dishes. 

“Well, I can’t go at the moment.  I’m due at work in less than forty-five minutes.”  I knew I had to give them a decision soon, but it was hard when I knew I was either going to be making a radical and terrifying change or throwing away a momentous opportunity.  No pressure.

Kai hopped up from the table and added his plate to the sink as I rinsed the first dish.  “Maybe the first three guys couldn’t cut it, but I’ll bet **_I_** can convince you to come back with me before the day’s up,” he said with a cocky grin as he leaned on the counter next to me. 

Zane unnecessarily leaned in between us to place his plate in the sink while facing Kai who had to lean back a bit to allow him space.  “Perhaps a more _subtle_ approach would be best?” I heard him tell the Master of Fire in a low voice before he withdrew, taking Kai with him by the elbow. 

They retreated to the living area where I couldn’t hear much else.  By the time I had finished the dishes, Zane was gearing up to go back to the _Bounty_ , and it was time for me to get going to the clinic.

Before I could pull out my car keys in the parking lot, Kai had already transformed the Sword of Fire into his Blade Cycle and was gesturing for me to have a seat behind him.  I sighed.  _Why did I bother to do my hair this morning?_

Zane gripped a shuriken in each hand and was suddenly seated on his Snowmobile.  The transforming of these vehicles would take some getting used to.  “It was very pleasant spending time with you, Arwyn,” he called to me over the roar of the engines.

“Thanks, Zane!  I enjoyed being with you, too,” I yelled back, adding, “Tell Cole I said ‘hello’,” before I could stop myself.  I cringed inwardly.  Zane only held up a thumb before taking off down the street.

Kai looked at me over his shoulder.  “Cole?  What about Jay?” he asked with suspicion.

“Well, you know, if I join you I should start making brownie points with the boss, right?” I replied with a little laugh, trying to cover my slip of the tongue.

He didn’t answer, just faced forward and suddenly put the Cycle into gear, causing it to lurch forward and forcing me to grab him around the torso to prevent falling off.  _Did he just do that on purpose?_   Without asking for directions, he turned the opposite of Zane, heading toward my clinic. 

We spent the morning at the clinic talking between patients.  The topics were pretty much the same as those I had covered with the previous three guys regarding ninja training and duties and my destiny, but Kai hassled me about a decision more than they had.   He was determined to be the one to bring me in.  I hoped he didn’t plan on using handcuffs.

I finally decided it may as well be him, since it had been long enough, and I was tired of second-guessing myself.  At about one, while we were grabbing a sandwich at the café next door, I got up the courage to ask, “Do you think I might be able to speak with Sensei Wu again tonight?”

Dropping his sandwich onto his plate without a word, the ninja in red immediately punched the comlink on his wrist, calling whomever might be on the _Bounty’s_ bridge. 

Cole responded from the small device sounding slightly breathless and anxious.  “Kai, I’m here!  What’s wrong?”  My heart leapt at the sound of his husky voice.  _Okay, tone it down there…_

“Everything’s fine,” Kai answered impatiently.  “Just wondering who’s supposed to relieve me as guard this evening.”

“I am!  Why?” Cole shot back.  _Yay!_ I almostdid a little dance in my chair _.  Really?  Chill, girl._

“Oh, well, don’t bother,” Kai replied curtly right before he broke off the communication and picked up his sandwich again with a smug look.

I took a bite of my sandwich to cover the annoyance I felt.  Kai hadn’t explained anything to Cole, and I had not been invited to talk to him!

A moment later, the comlink vibrated, probably indicating a call from Cole, but Kai didn’t stop scarfing the sandwich.  He noticed me watching him, and smiled back as he chewed.

I gave him a look a mischievous school boy would get for misbehaving as the comlink began a second round of vibrations.  “Why won’t you answer him, and why didn’t you explain to him that you’re bringing me to the _Bounty_ later?”

“Eh, I just want to mess with Cole,” he said, shrugging.  “He’ll find out soon enough anyway when I arrive with the prize,” he ended with a self-assured smile.

 _It’s no wonder he wanted to ‘rip you a new one’ yesterday_ , I thought after witnessing this.  “You don’t even know if you’ll be satisfied with my reason for seeing Sensei or not,” I said, trying to deflate him. 

“Oh, I know why you’re going to see him.  You’re coming to stay,” he declared firmly, adding, “Because it’s the right thing to do, and you know it’s your calling.”

I opened my mouth to deny that, but shut it again.  What was the point?

****Cole’s POV**

I had awakened well before Kai in the morning so I didn’t have to see him leave for his turn with Arwyn.  I figured if I busied myself with breakfast, it might not eat me up so much.  It actually helped a little.  The day was starting out alright.

Then at breakfast, no one complained about my oatmeal with pecans and fresh fruit salad, since there was nothing to complain about.  But the icing on the cake was when Sensei informed me as he was leaving the dining room that I would be relieving Kai tonight.  _YES!!_ It was about time! 

I tried to act as nonchalant as possible, like IDGAF, but when I looked up at Nya, she had this big, stupid grin on her face, because she _knew_ it was a big deal.  _Why did she have to catch me in a moment of weakness yesterday?  I never should’ve caved!_   _No one should know._

As he finished his breakfast, even Jay had an odd expression, which wasn’t necessarily unusual for him, but just didn’t look quite right.  He had this tight smile like he was struggling to _not_ say something, which _was_ unusual for him.  What was up with him?  Did he know something?  Perhaps I could _threaten_ torture?

Later, since Lloyd had been bugging me to start training him in defense and weapons,  that’s what I was up to when Zane got back.  I brought our session to a screeching halt when I saw the ice ninja climbing over the railing onto the deck with his picnic basket.

“Sorry, Lloyd, but we need to take a break.  I gotta talk to Zane,” I told the cracker-cruncher as I dropped the bokken I was holding and practically ran to meet Arwyn’s last guard.  I easily turned a deaf ear to Lloyd’s complaining.

“Good morning, Zane,” I greeted him with a grin.  “How’d it go last night?”  My heart thudded hard in my chest.  _Please tell me absolutely nothing happened!_

“Good morning, Cole!  It went very well,” he stated.  “Arwyn was a joy to be with and insisted that I stay in her room, just as you had.”  _Rats!_   “We had breakfast this morning with Kai before he took her to the clinic on his Cycle.”  _Double rats!_   “And I believe she may be very close to giving us her decision,” he finished. 

 _Actually I wouldn’t mind if she waited until tomorrow,_ I thought.  “Is that all?” I asked as he turned to head to the steps below deck, and I followed him.  I needed to hear more about Arwyn. 

“That is pretty much all.  I am going to report to Sensei now,” he said as he got to the top of the stairway, but then stopped and turned back to me.  “Oh, I almost forgot.  Arwyn said to tell you ‘hello’.”  With that, Zane disappeared below deck.

I froze in my tracks, stunned.  She was thinking about me.   ** _Me_** _._

I slowly became aware of something hard poking me in the hip, and looked down to see Lloyd with the bokken looking up at me.  “I **_said_** , ‘When are we gonna get started again?’” he was apparently repeating with exasperation.

“Um, now, I guess,” I answered a little dazedly with what probably looked like a really goofy grin.  _When I get the little wings off my boots._

The rest of the morning I was in a pretty good mood.  I still had trouble focusing on anything I was doing due to the fact that all of my thoughts continued to revolve around Arwyn and being with her tonight, but I was managing.

Lloyd seemed satisfied with our lesson and the extra attention I gave him.  I really needed to do that more often.  The poor kid needed a father figure in a bad way.  I knew I was barely more than twice his age, but I really liked kids, and Sensei had little time to spend with him, so I figured I would do.  I couldn’t actually see one of the other guys stepping up, except maybe Zane, but he tended to treat Lloyd more like a small adult.

He needed a mother, too.  It was sad that he’d never really had one.  He was almost the age I was when my mother left us, but at least I’d had one up until then, even if she wasn’t the best.  I hated to think he was going to grow up with none.  Oh, well, there wasn’t much **_I_** could do there, and Nya treated him well, but was kind of young and not very maternal at this point.

I was hoping that Arwyn might help the kid out if she came, but after overhearing me talking to Zane about her, Lloyd had brought up the fact that she was destined to defeat his father and let me know he was upset over that.  He also said that he didn’t think she was very nice, and he wasn’t going to like her.  BIG sigh…

I just tried to explain to him that eventually somebody would’ve turned out to be the Green Ninja, and that she was really a lot different from the only time he had met her.  I wanted him to give her a chance when she got here. 

He seemed skeptical, but not unreasonable.  That was all I could ask of him.

We were leaning on the railing on the quarterdeck talking about this after lunch when the communications call alert sounded.  My heart lurched into my throat.

Dashing into the bridge, I skidded to a stop and grabbed the microphone to answer it.  “Kai, I’m here!  What’s wrong?” I nearly gasped.

“Everything’s fine,” came his clipped answer.  “Just wondering who’s supposed to relieve me as guard this evening.”

 “I am!  Why?” I shot back warily. 

“Oh, well, don’t bother,” he replied shortly.  Right before hanging up on me.  _He. Did. Not…_

“Kai?  Kai!” I shouted into the mike as I saw the light indicating an open connection go out. _How dare he hang up on me!_   I immediately reconnected to his comlink and waited impatiently for him to answer. 

He didn’t.  I tried again as I grew more frustrated.  What was he up to?  Was he trying to get out of being relieved?  Was something wrong?  HOW DARE HE NOT ANSWER ME!

“THAT SON OF A-" I roared as I turned and saw Lloyd standing in the door to the bridge.  “SNOTWAD!”  Holding my breath, I stopped with the mike in my raised fist and, with great effort, placed it safely in its cradle instead of bringing it crashing down on the counter.  I didn’t need to break something else this week. 

“Is Kai okay?” Lloyd asked worriedly.

“Not for long!”  I snarled as I stomped past him to the quarterdeck railing which I gripped until it began to crack while taking a few deep breaths.  Well, there went _my_ great day.

 _Okay, let’s analyze the possibilities here before flying off the handle_.  _He’s getting back at me for yesterday.  He wants to spend more time with Arwyn.  He’s bringing her back tonight.  He’s dead…If not, he will be_. 

I wasn’t scheduled to leave for Ninjago City for almost five hours, but I ached to go now and get my hands on Kai. 

As if she knew I needed a distraction, Nya called from the main deck, “Cole!  I just realized after talking with Zane that if Arwyn comes soon, we haven’t fixed a place for her yet!”

I smacked myself in the forehead with a hand.  I had been so caught up in obsessing about Arwyn and fighting myself over it that I had forgotten to actually prepare for her arrival.  I directed Lloyd to stay in the bridge in case Kai called again and headed down to meet Nya who had already worked out a plan.

“We’ll need to clean out the room down the hall from your bunkroom, the one with the extra sparring equipment.  We can put that stuff in the weight room,”  she began, then continued rapidly.  “She could stay with me, but my room is too small for even a twin bed, and we can get another full bed out of the storage room to set up in the new room, and maybe there’s some other furniture in there, too.” 

I followed her below deck as she outlined her plan and started to give me orders about what needed to be done to set up a room for Arwyn before we had her sleeping on the couch in the game room.  She didn’t realize it, but she had probably just saved her brother’s life by keeping me busy.

After a couple of hours of heavy lifting on my part and cleaning on hers, we had suitable quarters arranged for the Green Ninja. 

On the right side of the room we had managed to set up a full-sized bed with Nya’s extra linens and added a small table and chair next to that.  A small trunk sat at the foot of the bed, and a chest of drawers was placed against the back wall near the round window.

It was pretty sparse, so I hoped she wouldn’t cringe when she saw it since there wasn’t much to choose from and no time to do much else before I left for my watch.

When we called it done, I again tried contacting Kai several times, and he never answered.  I wasn’t certain if I should be anxious or angry, but I couldn’t wait around any longer. 

It was two hours before I was scheduled to leave, but almost time for Arwyn to get off of work.  If I left now, I may get to her apartment as they were arriving.  I would deal with the mutinous ninja then.  God help him…

I grabbed my bag and told Zane I was leaving when I passed him in the hallway.  He checked the watch on his comlink with a questioning glance, but only told me to stay safe.  Within a couple of minutes, I was racing across the Sea of Sand toward the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Positive comments or kudos? I'd REALLY appreciate them! Namaste!


	4. How Do You Fight Yourself When You're the Strongest Guy In Ninjago?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn's made her decision, bringing change to her life and the lives of the Destiny's Bounty's residents. Cole's struggle to ignore his feelings for her intensifies.

 

****Arwyn’s POV**

The flames enveloping the Blade Cycle were still messing with my psyche, although I had ridden this thing earlier in the day, and I knew that as the Green Ninja they posed no danger to me physically.  Given that, I still got a kick out of how this vehicle so reflected Kai and his personality!  He was definitely the bad boy of the bunch.

We had left the clinic as soon as I had closed my charts and grabbed my purse.  Kai was way too impatient for us to go to my apartment so I could change out of my scrubs or get anything. 

He had tossed me his hooded helmet and insisted I wear it, which I was now doing.  It had an oddly pleasant scent similar to leather, wood smoke, and hair gel.  Not surprising…

After riding much too fast through the desert for several minutes, we were still a few miles from the _Bounty_ when I spotted a dark vehicle and a cloud of dust heading toward us.  As it rapidly drew nearer, I recognized it as the Tread Assault and unconsciously gripped Kai’s waist a bit tighter with delight. 

I guess he noticed that, because he grunted, “I see him,” as Cole brought the black-and-gold vehicle to a sudden halt when we were almost half a mile apart, skidding in a half-circle, throwing up a bigger cloud of dust and sand. 

Most of it had settled before we reached him, and I fully expected Kai to slow the Cycle and stop, but, to my disappointment, he didn’t.  The Master of Fire only smiled and waved as we sped past the ninja leader.   I waved uncertainly as we passed, but I couldn’t tell if he waved back since the glare of the late-afternoon sun made it impossible to see into the cockpit.

Checking back over my shoulder, I saw a rooster-tail of sand being churned up by the rear wheels of Cole’s vehicle.  He was now in hot pursuit.

“Um, Kai?” I shouted over his shoulder.  “Remember what you said this morning about not wanting to be the target when Cole is pissed?”

Laughing, he replied, “I feel like living dangerously today!  I’m not scared!  Besides, he won’t jump me in front of you.”   Oh, well.  It was his butt, not mine.

Upon our arrival to the ship, Kai allowed me to dismount the Cycle before dispelling it.  As soon as I hopped off, I saw the Tread Assault disappear behind us, and Cole landed on his feet running towards us with his scythe in his hand.  From the look in his eyes, I wasn’t certain if he didn’t intend to use it soon.

Slowing his pace to a determined, long-legged stride, he approached Kai while jerking off his mask and hooded helmet, stopping within a couple of feet of his victim.  “Why didn’t you bother to tell me that you would be bringing Arwyn here tonight?” he began angrily.  His voice was tense as I sensed he was struggling to keep from yelling. “We could have been better prepared with supper!” 

He bowed up a little more in front of Kai as he went on.  “And what’s your problem about not answering me when I call you?  _Anything_ could have been happening while you were playing some kind of game!”  It had me making a mental note to get ready for this if I ever pissed him off good.

The ninja in black was a little taller and more powerfully-built than the one in red, but the latter refused to be intimidated and gave his leader a bored look with his hands on his hips as he waited for the cargo lifter to descend.  “I told you not to bother coming, and we eat supper every night anyway.  Besides, nothing happened, did it?  What’s the big deal?” was his only response along with a shrug and a small smirk.

Standing by quietly with a bemused expression, I simply watched the power struggle between the commanding earth ninja and the defiant fire ninja with my arms crossed in front of me.  I didn’t quite understand it, and I certainly didn’t want to get in the middle of it. 

I also noted with interest that the comforting solidity of Cole’s element was back, but the pressure of it felt crushing at this moment, while Kai’s heat was rising to a scorching level.

Speaking of heat, Kai’s hooded helmet was making me a little warm, so while the two continued their squabble, I pulled it off and leaned over at the waist to shake out my hair. Standing up again quickly, I whipped my head back to get the hair out of my face.  When I stopped and ran a hand through the tangled curls, I found that Cole had ceased his tirade and was silently staring at me like he was miles away.

Kai had his hand on the cargo lifter with a cross look as he addressed his inattentive brother.  “Cole!  I asked you if you’re done with your lecture!”

Cole clenched his jaw and shook his head slightly before ignoring Kai, pushing his bangs back, and giving me an awkward smile.  “It’s great to see you again, Arwyn!  H-How’ve the last couple of days been for you?  I hope none of us have given you any trouble.” 

“They’ve been the longest couple of days of my life because I’ve been missing you!” was what I wanted to blurt out, but I caught myself.  “They’ve been okay,” I said indifferently instead.  “My bodyguards have been very pleasant to be with and have hardly annoyed me,” I continued, cutting eyes at Kai with a smirk before tossing his helmet back to him.  “However, I’ve been told that I’ve caused _you_ a lot of problems.”

I thought I saw a fleeting look of panic flash in Cole’s eyes, but it disappeared almost immediately.  “Wh-what do you mean?  You haven’t caused me any problems at all!” he denied with a short, edgy laugh and a faint flushing of pink across his tanned, olive-toned cheeks.  Was it wishful thinking that I thought he was lying?

I caught Kai watching the exchange between us with narrowed eyes and a cocked eyebrow.  What was he seeing in Cole’s reaction?  Was I giving anything away?

“Come on, Cole,” Kai interrupted as he entered the cargo lifter.  “You know you’ve been grouching around here for the last two days!  By the way, what’d you break this afternoon?” he inquired with a crooked, challenging grin.

Cole shot him an irritated look of warning through narrowed eyes as he gestured for me to step in ahead of him.  Between clenched teeth, he said in a low voice, “Had I been able to get to you earlier, I’m sure there would have been something.”  I muffled a laugh.  I didn’t need to encourage this!

Kai just snorted as we rose to the main deck, and Cole turned his back on him.  “Have you made a decision yet, Arwyn?” he inquired hopefully.

“That’s why I’m here,” I answered, attempting to sound upbeat, but suddenly feeling a rush of adrenaline that made me queasy.  He didn’t get a chance to get more out of me before we cleared the railing and spotted Nya jogging across the deck toward us.

She welcomed us with a smile and a wave as we exited the lifter.  “Hey, guys!  We’re really glad to have you back, Arwyn!  Sorry not everyone is here to meet you, but Zane is working on his falcon, and it’s Jay’s turn to cook supper.  As fast as he is at some things, he takes twice the time to cook,” she said with a laugh.  “You’ll see them later, though.” 

“Zane’s ‘working on his falcon’?” I repeated with a  confused look and a tilt of my head.

“Uh, Zane built a robot falcon to use as a scout,” Cole spoke up with a quick glance at Nya.  Her eyes widened and she added, “Uh, exactly!”

I thanked her as I spotted Lloyd who had been operating the lifter and still stood beside the controls.  I smiled at the young boy and waved, but he didn’t smile back and just barely raised his hand at his waist to acknowledge my greeting causing me to frown a bit with concern.  He hadn’t seemed that reserved two days ago.

Cole noticed Lloyd’s subdued welcome and my reaction to it and leaned over to me.  “Don’t mind Lloyd.  I’ll explain his issues later.  He’s really a very cool kid.”  I just nodded.  Turning to Nya, he asked, “Is Sensei in his quarters?”

“Yep,” she answered as she headed for the bridge.  “He’s been meditating since way before you left.” 

“Well, I’m sure he won’t mind if Arwyn interrupts him,” Cole surmised, smiling confidently as he looked down at me.  With a gloved hand on my right elbow, he began to lead me to the stairway to below deck.  “Come, I’ll take you to him.”

Kai stepped up quickly to my left, placing a hand on that elbow.  “Excuse me!  **_I_** brought her back,  I can take her to Sensei,” he said firmly as he attempted to guide me away from the ninja of earth.  Wow, I was getting two escorts.

Cole held my elbow with his brows knit, stopping Kai’s forward progress.  Seriously, was this some kind of tug-of-war?  “As the team leader, I usually take care of these things, Kai.  You really don’t have to concern yourself…”

“You mean you ‘get the glory’, in other words?” Kai taunted with a little sneer, still holding my other elbow.

“’Glory’?” Cole repeated, frowning with derision.  “We’re not talking about a trophy here, you nitwit.”

Peering at each in turn I wondered what exactly they were arguing over.  I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or not.

Taking a deep breath, I carefully extricated myself from between the two handsome ninja as the quibbling went on and slipped away unnoticed, leaving the two to settle their spat.  I could find my way back to Sensei Wu on my own.  I really needed to get this over with as soon as possible before I changed my mind.

As I reached the foot of the staircase and turned in the direction of Sensei’s quarters, I figured from the sudden silence behind me that my absence had been noticed andthe tiff had come to an end.  Running footsteps were following me down the steps and into the dark hallway.

If my stomach hadn’t been in such a knot, I would have gotten a good laugh out of their undignified chase, but I could barely grin at it at the moment. 

Kai slipped past me to lead our little parade while Cole slowed behind me and brought up the rear.  Neither said a word as we continued down the poorly lit passage, but I guessed that my escape must have cooled things down since their elements were now less oppressive.

At least I wouldn’t have that distraction while I grappled with a more critical issue.

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

The heady scent of frankincense was the first thing I became aware of as I began to come out of my meditative trance.  The next thing that pushed its way into my consciousness was a surge of uncontrolled power. 

My spine stiffened.  Arwyn.  She was near.  Finally, she had returned to me with her decision.  My pulse quickened, but I focused again and slowed it. 

Then something negative stirred.  Indignation and …testosterone? 

I pushed that away and continued to allow myself to slowly become more attuned to my physical surroundings.  Brisk footsteps sounded down the hall before a knock came at the door.  I gave permission for the visitor to enter, and Kai abruptly stepped into the room and bowed.  Without preamble he announced, “Sensei, I’ve brought Arwyn to see you.” 

My proud fire ninja moved aside, and Arwyn walked tentatively into the small room.  Behind her was Cole who stood in the doorway looking quite stern and alert when he glanced at Kai, but his demeanor softened and warmed when he gazed at Arwyn. 

 _Ah, this confirms the strong feelings I noted in Cole yesterday, as well as his distracted mood_ , I mused.  Apparently these two young men were also the source of the disturbance.  Had a rift begun?  _I will have to address this soon._

I tried to ignore their possible rivalry for now and rose from my mat with a smile, bowing before extending my hands to Arwyn.  “I am honored that you have returned to see me,” I said fondly as she bowed, then carefully placed her hands in mine.  “Please sit, and we will have tea.”

Glancing at Cole, I nodded the ninja’s dismissal as Arwyn and I knelt in seiza facing one another on the mat.  He bowed and motioned sharply for Kai to follow him out, giving Arwyn an encouraging smile.  She shyly returned the lookbefore he closed the door behind them.  _That reciprocation did not take long,_ I thought with concern _._

When we were alone, and each of us had a cup of hot oolong, I spoke to the young woman quietly.  “Cole has told me how your power has begun to proclaim itself.”  Her eyes held a questioning look.  “Your increased strength and ability to sense the elements of the masters,” I elaborated.

“Oh, yeah, that,” she acknowledged as she sipped the tea.  “I hope I can get used to it.”

With that comment, she gave **_me_** hope.  “Have you come to a decision?” I asked in anticipation.

Looking at me, her eyes held a small amount of fear as I could sense her inward struggle to summon her courage.  But instead of answering my question, she posed a new one to me.  “You said earlier that I was destined to be the Green Ninja.  When was this destiny set?”

Without a pause, I answered, “Before your birth.”

She swallowed hard.  “I was born for this,” she whispered reflectively, setting down her cup.

“You and the four Masters were all born at this particular point in time in order to work together for this special purpose,” I clarified.  “The timing of your birth was no accident.” 

Folding her hands in her lap, she lowered her head for a long moment.  The world was still around us.  I could sense the turmoil within her and yearned to reach out to touch her shoulder, to comfort and strengthen her, but I held back.

When she lifted her head, her eyes shone with unshed tears, but the fear in them had been replaced by steadfastness.  Her next words filled me with elation. 

“Then I want to stay here and be trained and used as the prophecy foretold.”  Her shoulders relaxed, and the tension left her face as she finally voiced her life-changing decision.  She smiled at me as a tear slipped down her cheek.  “I’m just going to need a lot of help!” she laughed nervously. 

I smiled back at her comfortingly.  “You will have me and four eager Spinjitzu Masters to teach you everything.  You will not be alone.”

  ****Cole’s POV**

I shut Sensei’s door behind me and mentally face-palmed for the tenth time since my stupid little squabble with Kai.  I don’t even know where that came from for either of us, but we both made ourselves look like idiots in front of Arwyn. 

Then when she walked off, we were so wrapped up in our pissing contest that we didn’t even notice she had left us for a moment.  Some ninja!

Now Kai walked silently ahead of me down the hall heading for the bunkroom, shrugging off his armor as he went.  I really wanted to hit him with a running tackle, but figured that would only make matters worse at this point.  I could get him later.  And I would.

Following him into the room, I shut the door behind me.  He glanced at me with a raised eyebrow as he opened the armoire.  I ran a hand through my hair, pushing my bangs away from my eyes.  “Um, about that…thing…we had,” I started clumsily, unsure of what to say.

“No biggie, we’re cool,” he responded casually with a wave of his hand and a neutral expression as he put away his things.

“What _was_ that?” I asked anyway with a puzzled look.  I wasn’t very angry about _that_ any more, just wondering what he was getting at when he pulled it.  I shed my armor, also, however, just in case this turned into a wrestling match.

“Just trying to get equal time with Arwyn, get credit for getting her here.”  He turned to face me and probably saw ‘are you kidding me?’ written all over my features.

“You know she’s in there right now telling Sensei she wants to join us, right?” he went on while leaning against the armoire with a big-headed grin.  “That’s because I talked her into it.”

“Really?” I said with more than a little skeptical sarcasm.  The credit thing was no big deal to me, but I didn’t like the other part of his comment.  “And what do you mean about ‘equal time’?”

He shrugged, still grinning.  “You know.  You and Zane can’t be the only ones spending time with the new girl.”

That rankled me immediately, but I slowed my reaction time before I gave myself away.  Instead, I became a bona fide hypocrite.  “She’s not the ‘new girl’.  She’s our new teammate, the prophesied Green Ninja.  We will be training and protecting Arwyn, not competing for her attention,” I said sternly. 

I could not believe that came out of my mouth.  I had just spent the last day doing nothing but thinking about her and liking how that made me feel.  I had gradually forgotten to persecute myself for those same unrestrained thoughts, putting the reality of who and what she was to the wayside. 

Now it was coming back to bite me in the butt.  I had to set a better example for the team, and I had to start now.  I couldn’t have Kai running after her when I was trying not to do that. 

“Come on, Cole,” Kai looked at me like I was an idiot.  “Don’t tell me that’s the only way you think of her.  I’m not blind.”  Damn!  What was I doing wrong?  I usually had a better poker face.

I was going to have to work hard to control this.  “We have a responsibility to train, respect, support, and protect her.  Nothing else,” I repeated more determinedly, for his benefit and mine.

Rolling his eyes, Kai walked around me and toward the door, giving me a dismissive wave.  “Yeah, yeah.  We’ll see about that.”  I reached out to grab him by the collar and haul him back, but Lloyd ran past him and up to me in a tizzy, making me pull up short.

“She’s here to stay, isn’t she?” he spoke rapidly in an accusing tone.  “She’s here to learn how to fight my dad!  Why’d she have to come?  Why does she want to be the one to kill him?”  He looked up at me with a distraught expression like he was about to get teary-eyed. 

 _Crap!  What else do I have to deal with?_ I rubbed my face with both hands before heaving a sigh and placing my hands on his shoulders.  “Lloyd, calm down.  You know the story of the prophecy,” I began slowly.  “She’s not here because she wants your father to die.  She just wants to do what’s right and help bring peace back to Ninjago.” 

His look told me he didn’t care about all that.  He just didn’t want anything to happen to his father, even if Garmadon deserved it. 

“Look, just give her a chance to show you that she’s not evil or anything, okay?  I think you’ll really like her, I know I do.”  I cut myself short at that.  Dropping one hand from his shoulders, I guided him toward the hallway with the other.  “Come on, let’s go hang out in the game room while we wait for Jay to call us for supper.  Have you gotten any better at that new game we picked up last week?” 

He suddenly switched gears and started to tell me all about how many worlds he’d already conquered and what it took to defeat each villain as we started down the passageway to join everyone else in the game room.  I let him talk my ear off about the game while we and Nya watched Kai and Zane play another one. 

After about half an hour of that, Jay appeared to let everyone know that his latest culinary concoction of ramen noodle and tuna casserole with raw carrot sticks was ready to be served.  O-kaay.  And they talk about my meals?  At least we had ice cream for dessert.

Right behind him, Sensei finally arrived, leading Arwyn into the game room.  I stood immediately, feeling my pulse quicken with concern as I took in her flushed countenance. She had been crying, but Sensei looked delighted.  She smiled timidly at everyone around the room,  her eyes coming to rest on me. 

He placed a hand on her shoulder and announced, “Arwyn has decided to join us in our fight.  Cole, you will be responsible for directing her training by the elemental masters.”  He looked around at everyone gathered and added, “And I am sure that you will all respect and support her appropriately in her appointed role.”  Like I needed another reminder.

Everyone welcomed her enthusiastically with the exception of Lloyd.  He hung back and sulked, and I didn’t try to force him to do or say anything. 

Nya hugged her tightly, saying how glad she was to have another woman on board, followed by Kai who did and said the same like he was trying to be funny.  He was not. 

Jay characteristically offered Arwyn a fist-bump, and Zane patted her shoulder affectionately. 

When I got to her, I longed to pull her into my arms and only let her go when she begged me to, telling her that I’d been missing her all my life and how ecstatic I was that she was finally here.  Instead, I did as I had seen Sensei do earlier, offering her my hands and giving hers a squeeze while saying I was glad to have her join us.

I could have imagined it, but I may have seen a flash of disappointment in her eyes, although she quickly replaced it with a questioning look.

She spoke in a low voice so no one else could hear.  “You said two days ago that you and the others would teach me to control this power and that you would not leave me.”  Her gaze locked with mine.  “Is that a promise?”

“I would have to be dead, otherwise,” I declared without hesitation, surprising myself.

She continued to regard me with a thoughtful expression for a long moment.  It took me that long to notice that I had a grip on her hands that should have been uncomfortable for her, but she wasn’t even trying to pull away.

I grudgingly released her, however, when Kai called to us from the doorway that everyone was heading to the dining room.  He had a watchful expression as I walked past him.  For the hell of it, I faked a punch to his gut, making him flinch and jump back a little.  That brought a small smile to my face. 

We ate our questionable ‘welcoming’ supper since Kai had not bothered to inform us of Arwyn’s attendance, and Jay always opted for meals that took minimal preparation.  She was gracious enough to compliment him anyway, and commented that the meal choices took her back to her college days.  Jay was oblivious.

Before retiring to his quarters, Sensei let me know that he and Arwyn had agreed she would stay the night with us, but that she had things to attend to in Ninjago City the following day.  I assured him that she would be well taken care of as he bid us all ‘good night’.

When we had eaten all of the chocolate ice cream with chocolate cake chunks, Nya rose from her seat saying, “Arwyn, why don’t Cole and I show you to your new room?  I’m pretty sure I can find a new toothbrush somewhere and a comb, and I may have something to sleep in that’ll fit you.”  She stepped back and gave Arwyn the once over as my new teammate fidgeted slightly under the scrutiny.  “You’re taller than I am, but  not much bigger otherwise.  Come on, girl.”

Kai stood and started to follow us, but was noticed by Nya as well as me.  “I think Jay may need a little help with the cleanup, Kai,” Nya said quickly, stopping him with a  look and adding sweetly, “Would you be a dear and please give him a hand?” 

He narrowed his eyes at her, but turned to head into the kitchen, grumbling as he went.  _Way to go, Nya!_   I gave her a grateful look when she glanced at me.  Maybe having her know my secret wouldn’t be so bad after all.  

As soon as I poked my head into Arwyn’s new room after she and Nya entered it, I noticed something that had not been there when I had left this afternoon.  Arwyn thanked us for the effort we had made and commented how the simplicity was a metaphor for a new beginning.  All I could see was the large bowl filled with beautiful fuchsia-and-red-orange cactus flowers which sat on the bedside table.  _Where the hell…?_

Nya saw my vexed expression as I watched Arwyn lift a flower the color of a sunset and hold it to her lovely face, breathing in its sweet fragrance with a contented sigh.  With an apologetic smile to me, she explained that Zane had spied the flowers on his falcon’s monitor early in the afternoon and had retrieved them while I was out, saying they would help soften the room.  Great.  Now Arwyn was getting flowers from Zane.  What next?

Nya excused herself to gather toiletries and clothing for Arwyn, leaving us alone for a few minutes.  I leaned against the doorjamb as Arwyn sat on the colorfully-quilted bed and sighed.  I expected her to comment on the room or the transition, but she came up with something else.  “You said you’d explain something about Lloyd.  Why doesn’t he like me?” 

Well, crud.  I didn’t expect to have to talk about that tonight, but I sat down next to her and proceeded to give her a quick synopsis of his father, his background, his role in the Serpentine’s release, and his awareness of the prophecy.

Flopping back on the bed with her hands on her forehead, she breathed, “Great.  No wonder the poor kid hates me.”

“He doesn’t actually hate you,” I defended Lloyd quickly, leaning back to rest on my elbows.  “He just doesn’t want you to kill his father,” I finished up matter-of-factly.

She moved her hand to look at me and raised an eyebrow.  “That’s something I’d like to avoid, as well.”

“But it’s something you have to be prepared to do,” I said with all seriousness.  She closed her eyes with a pained expression.

Letting my eyes run along the length of her stretched out on the bed, it was all I could do to resist touching her.  The thin material of the purple scrubs looked soft, and I wondered what she was wearing beneath it… _Damn it, Cole!  Green Ninja! Green Ninja! Green Ninja!_

Nya saved me by returning at that point with her treasures and handed them to Arwyn after we both sat up again.  “I think this’ll get you through the night, then tomorrow you’ll get your own stuff.”

Arwyn laughed a little.  “If Kai hadn’t been in such a hurry this afternoon, I’d have my stuff now.”

As if on cue, the fire-starter stuck his head in the door.  “Hey, the point was to get you here, okay?  Now let’s get you out of this boring room and check out some expert video gaming.”  With that, he stepped into the room, grabbed Arwyn by the wrist, and pulled her out into the hall and away from me.

I rose quickly from the bed and started to follow them to the game room, beginning to get ticked off with my intruding brother.  Behind me, I heard Nya say quietly, “I warned you, Cole.”  I paused for a second with my hand on the doorjamb and nodded acknowledgement without turning toward her before I exited the room.

Arwyn wasn’t into video games, but politely endured about an hour of watching the guys play from her spot on the couch next to Kai, laughing at the shenanigans and occasionally encouraging Lloyd in his efforts against the game.

I stayed out of the playing, sitting in one of the beanbags flanking the couch, brooding about Kai’s recent activities and watching Arwyn next to him.  It was so good to have her here with us, and I hoped I would sleep better now than I had last night when Zane was with her, but I doubted it.

She’d soon had enough and begged to be excused to find the shower and get ready for bed.  Tomorrow she’d be rising early to get to Ninjago City to resign, pack a few things, and take care of loose ends. 

Before I could get up and offer to take her, Nya was dragging her out of the room, telling her she’d be using the bathroom down the hall from their rooms.  Arwyn waved ‘good night’ to everyone and disappeared.

Later that night, after everyone else in the bunkroom had fallen asleep, I was still lying awake, staring up at the bottom of Jay’s bunk, listening to the snoring above me, my thoughts on Arwyn.  She was just down the hall, no more than thirty feet from me.  I had been resisting the compulsion to check on her, but could finally do so no longer. 

Throwing back the covers, I carefully got out of bed and checked to see that my three brothers and Lloyd were still sleeping peacefully.  Kai’s arm hung off his bunk, and I kinda hoped he wouldn’t end up on the floor, but I wasn’t waking him to prevent it.  

Silently leaving the bunkroom, I padded barefooted in my black T-shirt and plaid pajama pants the short way down the hall to Arwyn’s room.  Upon reaching her door, I quickly noted that it was open a crack and apprehensively pushed it wider while whispering her name. 

The room was empty, the quilt missing from the bed, and my first thought was that something bad had happened to her.  My second thought was that she had left.  My heart began racing as I hurried into the hall to check for lights under the bathroom door and Sensei’s and Nya’s doors, the game room.  Nothing.

 _Surely she didn’t leave.  Please don’t let her have left!_ My next place to check was the main deck.  Noiselessly running up the steps to the outside, I stopped abruptly three steps shy of the top of the staircase when I saw her form standing by the starboard railing near the prow about fifty feet away.

Sighing with relief, I stood on the step and watched her for a while.  The moon was nearly full and cast a silver light over the deck, so I could easily see her as she leaned on the railing, barefooted, wrapped in the bed’s quilt against the chilly breeze that gently blew over the desert.  What had brought her out here, and what thoughts were going through her mind as she gazed up at the stars?

My own thoughts were disrupted when I suddenly heard her call out to me.  “Are you going to stand there all night, Cole?  Or are you going to come and talk to me?”  I was stunned.  She stood with her back to me and had not even turned her head for the several minutes I had been here.  I had made no sound.  How did she know I was even here?

Collecting myself again, I covered the distance between us and met her at the railing.  She smiled warmly up at me and pulled the quilt tighter around her.  I leveled my eyebrows in a quizzical way and asked, “How…?”

“I can sense your element,” she said simply, looking intently at me.

Elation surged through me, but I quelled it and replied with confusion, “I thought you told me you couldn’t.”

“I was wrong.  I realized that when you left me with Jay and a huge void opened up in me.” She looked away from me into the night.  “I knew you had been there then.”

I swear I felt like dancing!  Somehow I controlled my happy feet.  “So, what am I like?” I asked, hoping I sounded aloof.

“Solid and heavy like rock.  A sense of well-being, protection, strength, security,” she answered right away.  “Overall, a nice, comforting feeling.  The others are going to take some getting used to,” she went on.  “I’m going to have trouble sleeping with Kai and Jay around.  They’re irritating and energizing.”  I could understand that. 

“Zane gives off a little too much of a chill sometimes.  However, I’ll have no trouble sleeping with you.”  Her eyes widened and she straightened up as she realized what that sounded like and quickly amended it.  “Nearby!  I mean with you nearby!”

I looked away to cover my smirk.  I was glad that my element didn’t disturb her, but I liked her uncorrected comment better.  _Cole!_   _Green Ninja!  Green Ninja!  Green Ninja, already!_ This mantra was becoming automatic _._

The breeze picked up a touch, causing a little shiver to go through me and goose bumps to prickle along my arms.  Arwyn noticed and opened the quilt from around her, revealing the snug-fitting T-shirt and blue capri pants of Nya’s she was wearing. 

“Wanna share the blanket?” she asked innocently, apparently having no idea how enticingly seductive she was to me.  My eyes flicked over her, and I swallowed hard before hastily grabbing the edges of the quilt and pulling it closed over her again.

“Um, no, that’s okay, I’m not really cold.”  My mouth had suddenly gone dry.  “But before it gets any cooler, maybe we should go on to bed.  It’s really late,”  I suggested as I turned her toward the portal to the lower deck. 

Arwyn let me lead her to her door where she dropped the blanket, tossed it onto the bed, and faced me.  Standing so near and reaching up, she playfully flicked my bangs away from my eyes where the wind had blown them, saying with a smile, “I’m sorry you have someone else to worry about, but thanks for checking on me.  I hope we both get some sleep tonight.”

 _Dear, God, does she have **any** idea what she's doing to me?  _ Here she stood, close enough for me to slide my arms around her, pull her against me, run my hands all over her body, feel her skin and lips against mine, taste her, smell her scent...  And she was completely trusting of me, wasn't shying away.  I had to summon every ounce of strength I had.

I didn’t dare look down at her, instead I peered over her shoulder into her room and knew I wasn’t going to sleep much.  “I don’t mind at all.  It’s what I’m here to do,” I replied.  Then I lightly patted her shoulder, said ‘good night’, and walked down the passageway to my bunkroom, grudgingly patting myself on the back for my self-control. 

Treating her like nothing more than a teammate was going to be one of the toughest things I’d ever done in my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I do a decent job? Comments or kudos are appreciated if I did! :)


	5. My Bodyguard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn's begins her life-changing transition with her champion by her side.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_Oh.  My.  God.  Did he just pat me like I was some kid?  He didn’t even **look** at me as he said ‘good night’!  _

In disbelief, I watched Cole march down the hallway until he entered the bunkroom and closed the door without looking back.  I thought we had a little more between us than _that_.  I didn’t expect a kiss at my door, but I wouldn’t have stopped him. 

This reminded me a lot of two nights ago when he started to kiss me, but unexpectedly drew back.  What the heck?  It was like he didn’t even see me as a woman, just a teammate.

Normally, I would have been scolding myself for being like this, but I was actually thinking more and more that he was not some random guy I had to shield myself from to prevent heartbreak.  His earlier comment about not leaving me unless he was dead had kinda clinched it.

I was more than a little disappointed as I went back into my room, wondering what I had done or said to make him seem so distant.  Before closing the door, I heard a loud thud from the bunkroom, followed by groaning, cursing, and finally the laughter of two or three of the guys.  _Oh, well._   I closed the door slowly, thinking if they needed a nurse, they knew where to find me.

Sliding under the covers and pulling them tightly around me to combat Zane’s glacial aura, I could feel Kai’s warmth a little more than usual. He must have been the source of the cursing.  Funny how the ice and fire ninja didn’t cancel each other out, however. 

Snuggling under the warm quilt, I tried not to think of how let down I was by the earth ninja’s lack of a response to me.  Lying there quietly, I tried to concentrate on Cole’s element to relax.  Like I had told him, I should have no trouble sleeping with him nearby.  I’d really even like it to be a lot nearer…

I woke to someone shaking my shoulder gently.  “Arwyn?” Cole was whispering not far from my ear.  Cracking one eye, I looked up at him.  “Hey, good morning!  You don’t have a clock or anything, so I thought I’d wake you at our usual time so we can get breakfast and go on into the city,” he said in a much-too-cheerful voice for before dawn.

“What’s the ‘usual time’?” I whispered back, snapping my eye closed, and rolling over onto my back.  I forced myself to open my eyes again.

“It’s about five-thirty-five now.”  Standing by the bed, I could barely see his face in the dim light.

“Mmm.”  I stretched, running my hands through my hair as I did so.  “If I don’t get a clock, can I get you to wake me every morning?” I asked lazily with a little smile.

I thought I saw his eyes widen and his eyebrow twitch, but my eyes were still a little blurry.  _Why the hell did I just say that?  Am I still half asleep?_

He only answered, “Um, I’ll let you get up and dress, and I’ll meet you in the dining room,” before nearly dashing from the room. 

_Rats!  Where did I come up with that?_   I rose dutifully and grabbed the clothes and toiletries Nya had given me while rubbing my eyes.  I was still cursing Kai for not giving me time to get an overnight bag before coming to the ship when I walked out into the hall and nearly collided with Sensei Wu.   

“I am _so_ sorry, Sensei!” I exclaimed, bowing before him.  He held a large rectangular box as he bowed in response.  “Not to worry, child,” he said with a chuckle.  “I brought something for you.”  He walked past me into my room and placed the box on the bed as I followed him in anticipation.

Removing the lid, and reaching inside, he brought out an evergreen gi similar to those worn by the Masters.  I gasped when I saw it.  This Green Ninja thing was getting more and more real to me. 

Still in the box were a matching hooded helmet and mask, black gloves and tabi boots with socks, chrome-covered shoulder armor and back scabbard, a brown, leather utility belt, and a brown, padded-leather vest.

I really would have preferred to be the Purple, Red, or Black Ninja, but I wasn’t telling him that.

Holding it up, “Oh, my God.  Thank you,” was all I could say until I turned it around and saw the repulsive snake coiled around itself on the back.  I really loathed snakes.  “Um, why a snake?  Why not, like, a flower of tranquility like you have?”

“The Serpentine have become nearly as great a threat to Ninjago as Garmadon and will eventually ally themselves with him.  I have had visions that you will bring about their downfall as well as the dark lord’s.  The symbol is their warning,” he explained. 

_Okay.  Loading a little more responsibility on me there, now._   I still didn’t understand why I had to wear a snake on my back, but at least I couldn’t see it while I wore it. 

“Thank you so much, Sensei!” I repeated.  “May I wear it today?” I asked, eager to see if it fit and make myself more a part of my new team.

“Indeed,” he answered, looking down at Nya’s clothing which I had placed on the bed near the box.  “It will keep you from having to wear that _very short_ skirt to breakfast,” he continued with a disapproving tone.  _Note to self:  must dress conservatively around Sensei._

I wanted to hug him, but wasn’t sure how he may react to that, so I merely placed a hand on his shoulder as he moved to leave the room.  “Thank you again, for everything so far.”

He paused long enough to look at me with shining eyes, nod, and say, “Thank _you_ for finally coming to us,” then walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

I walked into the dining room a few minutes later feeling quite proud in my new uniform, although I was wearing just the gi and boots.  I was, however, still cursing the one in red for my inability to control my frizzy hair and dark circles.   _Oh, well, guess I’d better get used to it._

Everyone was already there and starting to serve themselves when Jay noticed me.  “Awesome, Arwyn!  Now you really look like the Green Ninja!”  Everyone at the table looked up at me as he spoke. 

“It fits you perfectly.  Sensei must have had that gi resized, ‘cause otherwise, Kai wouldn’t have been able to get into it a few weeks ago!” he laughed.  Cole, Zane, and Nya joined in the laughter while Kai turned red.  Lloyd and Sensei didn’t seem to get the joke.  I didn’t either. 

My new leader got up from his seat as I walked around the table to the only unoccupied spot at Sensei’s right, apparently now officially my place.  Sitting across from Cole, I could tell he had gotten about as much sleep as I had, which wasn’t much.  He still smiled broadly as he complimented me on my outfit and passed me coffee, tea, and vegetable omelets. 

“So, what all will we be doing today?” he asked as he clicked into his planning mode.

“Well, I’d like to extend Dr. Kita the courtesy of a resignation instead of just not showing up, so we could start with that before eight,” I began as I clung to my mug of revitalizing coffee. 

“After that, I want to see my friend Sofiya at the Fitness Center to ask her about maybe subletting my apartment.  She lives in a crummy part of town and hasn’t been happy there for a while.”  I ticked down my mental list.  “We could sell my car, and I need to pack clothes and a few of my things…”

Leaning over the table, Kai piped up at this point.  “I can go with you and help out with that.”  _Well, that’s nice of him…_

Cole had been going for a bite of omelet, but his head popped back up instantly.  “Sorry, Kai, but Zane already agreed to come with us,” he said hurriedly while shooting a look at the ice ninja whose attention centered on Cole at mention of his name.

“I…did,”  Zane nodded uncertainly, seeming to catch Cole’s meaning.  “I am going to help pack.”  He quickly went back to his tea, avoiding Kai’s glare.

Cocking an eyebrow as he looked at the fire ninja, Cole continued, “And you said last week that you were going to organize the weapons room.  Did you?”

Kai frowned.  “Well, no, but…”  _Uh, oh._

With his brows arched, Cole jumped on it.  “Today’s a good day for that, then, isn’t it?”  He then casually resumed munching his omelet as he considered the subject closed, and the Master of Fire fumed.  “Anything else?” he asked me after having another sip of coffee and ignoring Kai.  I swear I saw Sensei smirk under that mustache.

It was time for me to start my campaign toward gaining Lloyd’s acceptance or at least his tolerance.  I assumed a thoughtful pose before saying, “Yeah, there’s a graphic novel I’d like to check on at one of the comic book shops called…”

“Doomsday Comix?!” Lloyd interrupted excitedly, losing control of his fork which ended up in Nya’s plate next to me.  She quietly handed him the utensil with a slightly ticked-off face.

“That’s it!” I confirmed enthusiastically as I pointed across the table to Lloyd.  “Do you get there often?”

His demeanor suddenly became pouty.  “The guys never bring me there.  They say comic books are stupid.”

I exaggerated a shocked gasp and glared across at Cole who gave me a ‘what’d-I-do?’ look.  “They.  Are.  Not!  Graphic novels are a true form of literature and art combined!  How dare you try to repress that!” 

He started to get a defensive attitude, but when I kicked him lightly under the table he suddenly caught on and concealed his smile with his mug.  Addressing Lloyd again I said, “I really like ‘ElvishQuest’.   What’s your favorite graphic novel?”

“I’d love to find an issue of ‘Starfarer’,” he replied animatedly with wide eyes and a big smile.

“Well,” I said, glancing at Cole out of the corner of my eye.  _Play along here_.  “Maybe you could come with us today.”  Lloyd looked eagerly at the earth ninja. 

Falling into his role as if we had rehearsed it, Cole chuckled and shrugged.  “I guess the more, the merrier.”

Lloyd whooped, but Kai scowled at Cole.  “Then why can’t I go, too?”

Cole placed his mug firmly on the table and shook his bangs off his brows a little as he replied.  “Because you have work to do, I didn’t plan on emptying the ship, and I never even see you read.”

“I wasn’t wanting to go to read,” Kai mumbled crossly under his breath.

“I’m very aware of that,” Cole mumbled back with a bit of a growl, as we all rose from the table and brought our plates to the kitchen. 

Jay sidled up to me as we walked out of the kitchen.  “Hey, Arwyn, how about we check out the infirmary before you go to Ninjago City?  You may want to restock while you’re there.  We don’t have a lot of stuff, and some of us tend to be accident-prone.” 

I followed his amused gaze to Kai, whom I finally noticed had a new abrasion on his chin.  Walking up to him to examine it, I cocked my head and asked, “Did you cut yourself that badly shaving?”

He sheepishly glanced away, saying, “No, I fell out of bed.”  Well, that explained the late-night thud.

Jay grabbed my arm and led me away from Kai and in the direction of Sensei’s quarters.  “Oh, he’s fine!  He stopped bleeding after a while.”

Nya stuck her head out of the kitchen as we headed away, calling, “Jay, get back in here when you’re done and help me with these dishes!”

“I won’t be long, babe,” the lightning ninja called back over his shoulder.  “She’s so sexy when she’s slave-driving,” he said dreamily.

The infirmary was just down the hall from Sensei’s quarters, and I cringed when we entered it.  It was about the size of my small bedroom with a narrow cot on the left wall, two tall cupboards on the right-side wall, and a washstand with a basin and pitcher on the far side of the room.  The cupboards held little more than adhesive bandages, some gauze dressings, and expired antibiotic ointment.

I scanned the room, hoping to find more, but was unsuccessful.  “Really?!  A team of warriors has less than a _first-aid kit?”_    I was astounded.

“I know!” Jay agreed vigorously, flopping down on the low cot.  “I keep telling Cole that we need more stuff, but nobody listens to me!” 

I was in my element and quickly began to make a mental list of everything I could pick up at the medical-supply store, from sutures and dressings to basic surgical instruments.  I also starting thinking of plans for furnishing the workspace much differently and more efficiently.

Behind me, Jay shattered my thoughts by suddenly popping up with, “When are you gonna tell Cole?”

I slowly looked over my shoulder and fixed him with a piercing look.  “Tell Cole _what_?”

He gave me a look of ‘duh’.  “How you feel about him.  He needs to know!”

“I beg to differ,” I replied, turning back to the cupboards.  “He doesn’t need to know, and I’m not sure he’d care if he did.”  I was still a little stung from the way he had practically turned his back on me last night.

“Oh, after seeing the way he’s been acting lately, I seriously doubt that that’s the case with him!” he said, laughingly.

I felt a surge of hopefulness, but controlled it, thinking, _Don’t get your hopes up, girl.  You’re not here to find a man, anyway_.  I didn’t respond to his remark.

After a minute of silence, Jay continued to pester me.  “Seriously, Arwyn, you need to tell him.”

“Tell whom what?”  Startling a bit, I turned with a jerk toward the doorway, which was filled by Cole’s nosy figure.  These damn ninja needed bells on their boots!

Surprised as well, Jay faltered, so I spoke up with both hands on my hips.  “That we have to also stop at the medical-supply store to bring this place up to par.  This is totally unacceptable.”

Cole shrugged.  “Okay.  But we’d better leave soon so we have time to do everything we need to before we’re spending the night in the city.”

Jay sighed, and I glared at him warningly as I followed Cole out of the infirmary.  “You are a dead man walking if you talk,” I hissed at him as I passed, only half-joking.  He just grinned and followed us as far as the kitchen and Nya.

About an hour later, I was standing in the office of my employer, Jin Kita, MD, a tall, brunette, triathlete-type, arguing with him about why I should or should not resign.  I had asked Cole to stay outside with Lloyd and Zane, promising I would not be long.  Now I wasn’t so sure about that.

“Jin, I’m sorry to be so abrupt about this, but that’s just how it turned out.”  I was trying to be as considerate as possible, but we had already been at this for several minutes.  “Like I told you, I really need to be somewhere else right now.”

“Yeah, yeah!  Training for some martial art, I guess, in this…karate suit!”  He gestured impatiently at me.  “Meanwhile, I’ll have no nurse for who knows how long!  What would it take to get you to stay, Arwyn?  More money?  More vacation time?”  He was so freaking self-centered.

“Sorry, Jin, but I’ve made my decision and nothing’s going to keep me here.  I kinda have bigger fish to fry at this point.”  Hoping the matter was closed, I turned toward the door.  “I’m gonna grab a couple of things from my office and then leave.  Just mail my last check.”

He trailed me down the hall to the other side of the clinic.  “Come on, there must be something I can do to get you to stay.”  His whining was getting on my nerves like it always had.  “We’ve been together for two years.  That must mean something!”

By now, I was digging in a desk drawer in the corner of my office.  “We haven’t ‘been together’ for two years.  I’ve been working here for two years.  There’s a difference,” I corrected him as it occurred to me that I could feel Cole’s element stronger now.  _He must be getting impatient since I’m taking so long_.

“Come on, after we went out that time, you know I wanted to take it further, but you kept slapping me down,” he reminded me, following me around the desk into the narrow space between it and the wall. 

I had found what I was looking for and straightened, ready to leave the room and end this annoying confrontation.  I eyed the man in front of me, informing him in a no-nonsense tone, “I’m leaving now, Jin.  You’re in my way.”

He just leered at me.  “Maybe if I give you more of _me_ , you’ll want to stay,” he suggested in a lewd manner, fingering the collar of my gi with his knuckles rubbing just under my collarbone.  I could feel my blood pressure increasing, as well as a pressure in my chest. 

I rolled my eyes and made an attempt to step between him and the wall, but Jin put his hand against it, blocking my path with his arm.  I didn’t want to hurt him, but I was swiftly considering whether he deserved the heel of my hand up his nose or my knee in his groin.

My decision was a moot point when I saw a flash of black behind the doctor a split-second before the Master of Earth’s fist tore past Jin’s head and crashed into the wall by mine, not stopping until his arm was buried in the sheetrock nearly up to the elbow.  I couldn’t stop myself from flinching.

Jin fell back against the desk with an alarmed cry as Cole jerked his arm from the wall, grabbed him by the collar, and hauled him into the hallway.  Holding the thinner, terrified man close to his unmasked face, he growled, “My original target was the back of your head, but I changed my mind at the last second.  That was the only warning you’ll get.” 

Shoving Jin away from him and releasing him at the same time caused my former employer to stumble down the hallway, shouting curses and demands for us to vacate the premises.

I calmly checked the hole in the wall, and through it saw the far side of the adjoining room.  Admiration and trepidation mingled as I wondered just how dangerous this ninja could be.  I was more than happy to have him as a guardian. 

Grabbing a framed photo of my parents from the desk top, I joined my knight in shining armor in the hallway, and we headed for the exit. 

“Well, I guess I won’t be seeing that last check, but I’m glad you didn’t hit a stud in the wall,” I commented with a straight face.  I attempted to brush the drywall bits and dust off of his arm and mine as he stomped beside me.

“Sorry, and I wouldn’t have noticed it,” he answered heatedly in no uncertain terms.   _Yikes._

“Were you behind the door when we came in?” I asked out of curiosity. 

Cole just grunted. 

“I told you to stay outside,” I reproved lightly. 

“You were taking too long,” was his brusque response.

“I teach self-defense classes.  I could have protected myself from him, you know,” I reminded him with a only a tiny bit of annoyance.

“That’s _my_ job now,” he informed me gruffly.  “And you’re not leaving my sight again.”

_Promise?_ I thought as he opened the door leading outside, and we left my clinic to meet Lloyd and Zane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hope you liked the chappie! Let me know if you did!


	6. One Aggravating Thing After Another....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In struggling to officially make the "Bounty" her home, Arwyn is faced with limits...and a surprising move made by someone unexpectedly....

****Arwyn’s POV**

Our next stop, after Zane insisted Cole explain his soiled uniform, was the Fitness Center to see Sofiya who would be starting her first yoga class of the day in less than an hour.

Sofiya had always seemed ethereal to me, and no less so than today as she glided over to us from the back of the enormous studio, her tall, lithe, barefooted figure clothed in curve-hugging capri pants and a camisole top.  She gave a little wave as she called my name in greeting. 

Watching her, as the four of us walked to meet her halfway, I was filled with anxiety, hoping I wasn’t about to regret introducing her to Cole.  Not because she would try to entice him away from me, she was too good a friend to do that, but because I was afraid _he_ may be so enchanted with _her_ that I’d never stand a chance.  I wasn’t insecure around her or anything.  Much. 

I stole a glimpse at the ice and earth ninja who flanked me.  She had gotten the attention of both men, but Zane seemed much more alert-looking, and I noticed I was getting quite a chill.

With her white-gold braid swinging behind her, Sofiya beamed luminously as she strode up to us and threw her arms around my neck in a tight hug.  “Is this Cole?” she whispered in my ear.  I tensely nodded confirmation as she released me. 

I’m no good at lip-reading, but I could clearly make out ‘They’re both gorgeous’ before she turned to face the trio with me.

I introduced her to everyone, including a disinterested and impatient Lloyd who then ran off to play on the treadmill and other equipment at one end of the studio.  Cole shook Sofiya’s hand casually, then watched with amused interest as Zane bowed with a smitten expression before taking her hand in both of his and kissing it lingeringly. 

“It is a wondrous pleasure to meet you, exquisite lady,” he breathed as Sofiya gazed at him in awe and blushed.  Even _I_ was gazing at him in awe. 

Cole wore a knowing smile while he watched their reactions, which relieved me a little.  Maybe he wasn’t nearly as impressed by her as Zane seemed to be.

When Zane finally released her hand, and Sofiya’s starry-eyed look had faded to some extent, she gave my teammates the once-over and said, “You guys look so familiar for some reason…”  Although the two were in full uniform, golden weapons and all, Sofiya was apparently as uninformed as I was regarding current events in Ninjago.  

Instead of enlightening her, the yin-yang pair regarded me, waiting for my prompt.  Finally remembering I was there, she inspected my attire.  “So what’s up with the green outfit, Arwyn?”

 _Okay.  Here goes_ , I thought nervously.  I was somewhat concerned about her reaction, but I needed to do this.  “Remember I told you I was considering training for a belt?”  She nodded.  “Well, it’s a little more involved than that.  Could I talk to you in the office for a few minutes?”

“Sure.  My class isn’t for about thirty minutes or whenever.”  She eyed Zane with a captivating smile.  “Will these two fine young men be alright out here with all the women coming in?”

I checked out the moon-eyed ninja of ice and Cole, who was having trouble controlling his mirth due to his brother’s reaction to my goddess-like girlfriend.  “Oh, I think they can hold their own,” I stated with conviction. 

Taking her by the arm, I guided her toward the office where she could focus better on what I had to say.  On the way, I began our conversation with, “I have to cancel my class today, and, by the way, are you still looking for a new place?” 

From my peripheral vision, I saw Cole discreetly follow us, although I wasn’t sure what kind of danger he thought she might pose to me.  _But keeping me within his sight…_

About twenty-five minutes later, we emerged from the office, almost stepping on the earth ninja who had stood guard outside the door the entire time.  After our talk, Sofiya was paler than I had thought she could get, but she had quit hyperventilating.

Zane rejoined our group after surveying the place once more.  With the four of us gathered, Sofiya stood dumbfounded for a second, a hand to her chest, then addressed the men with amazement, stammering, “I-I _thought_ you looked familiar!  You’re **_the_** ninja!”

The Master of Ice held up a finger.  “Actually we are only _half_ of **_the_** ninja…”  Cole rolled his eyes at the correction.

Sofiya gave Zane a ‘thanks, smart-ass’ look before continuing in a disbelieving tone and a slightly louder voice.  “And you _seriously_ think Arwyn is some _warrior_ born to kill some _bad guy_?!”

I grimaced and immediately clapped my hand over her mouth, quickly scanning the area for Lloyd, finding him still on the exercise equipment and well out of earshot.  _That was close_.

Removing my hand from her face, I said quickly, “Never mind all that, Sofiya!  Just remember what we talked about.  You have my key, move in any time you like.  We’ll be packing a couple of boxes later today.  I’ll leave everything else, since I can’t take much.” 

I paused for a breath and waved for Lloyd to come back to us when I caught his eye.  “Meanwhile, we still have errands to run, and you have a class to do.  Relax, and I’ll talk to you later!” 

I hugged her hard, Zane bowed and smooched her hand again, then Cole shepherded us all out and along to our next stop.  _Another neatly tied loose end_.

From the Fitness Center, we headed over to Doomsday Comix to satisfy Lloyd before he blew a gasket.  For a ten-year-old boy, he’d been incredibly patient the last couple of hours, but that was wearing thin fast.

He was thrilled to set foot in there and sifted through everything, finally finding what he was looking for, then going on to find a few other items.  I, on the other hand, was disappointed in my quest, since the latest issue of the graphic novel I wanted wasn’t out yet.  _About right for my day so far…_

Cole finally had to put his foot down and insist that we go after allowing Lloyd to browse for almost an hour.  The only way he got the boy out without a hissy fit was to promise him another trip the following month, if we were in the area. 

From the sidelines, I watched the tolerant way in which the tough-looking ninja dealt with his enemy’s young son.  He treated the boy with respect and affection and used positive reinforcement to get him to do as he said. 

He was a good man and would probably make a great father.  _Not that I’m looking for one, I’m just saying!_

On our next stop, the ninja leader had to be patient with _me_.  I loaded up at the medical supply store on everything I imagined we might need to stock the infirmary as far as basics were concerned, as well as a few extra items. 

I really hoped we’d never have to put any of it to use, but it was better to be prepared than not, considering what the team faced on a regular basis.

We then grabbed sandwiches before dropping Zane and Lloyd at my apartment to watch television, while Cole and I took my car to a dealer.  Had I gone in there by myself, I know I would have been fleeced, since car salesmen usually view women as vulnerable and naïve.

Conversely, having the imposing man in the black uniform by my side to help me haggle shortened the ordeal considerably and got me a couple thousand more than I probably would have alone.  That would be a chunk of change for the _Bounty_ ’s coffers.  There were perks to having a large bodyguard accompanying one.

Finally back at my apartment, I had to be very selective about what I packed.  My room on the _Bounty_ was small, and cargo transport space on the vehicles was even smaller.  I was gonna have to get used to much simpler living. 

I zipped through there and took only some of my clothing, toiletries, and personal effects, a photo album, sketch pads and pencils, my laptop and MP3 player, some kitchen utensils Zane said would come in handy, my pillow, and the stupid alarm clock. 

I considered leaving the last thing since I much preferred being awakened by Cole, but I figured he probably wouldn’t care to be my wake-up call every morning, so I’d better include it.

In the midst of that, Sofiya arrived with a suitcase and a couple of boxes of her things, ready to start moving in.  She usually spent the entire day at the Fitness Center, so I suspected she had an ulterior motive for coming here in the middle of the afternoon.  And she did.

When the door had opened, all of Zane’s focus had become the radiant blonde.  As soon as she entered the place and greeted everyone, she and the statuesque male took a seat on the couch and began to happily talk about anything and everything.  I didn’t even know he had that much to say. 

At the time, Cole was being helpful in limiting my choices by letting me know what wouldn’t fit on the Tread Assault.  Once, as we walked through the living area, he glanced over at the couple on the couch, and I caught a glimpse of a brief, but wistful, smile on his face. 

 _Is he wondering if that could be us?_ flashed through my mind optimistically before I could stop it.  I know I was.  I hate to admit it, but I was envious of Sofiya’s ability to have an open heart, although she had not come through the last couple of years in the dating sceneunscathed. 

She had been able to handle it better, though, and I was really wanting to do the same at this point.  I just had to know first, without a doubt, whether or not he was interested in me…

When I was zipping my suitcase closed a little later, I considered the black-clad figure as he stood silhouetted against the window, thoughtfully gazing outside with his arms crossed over his chest while waiting for me to finish. 

He was so handsome and kind….  I sighed, chewed lightly on my lower lip, and began to slip into a daydream–like state when I caught myself and shook it off.  I thought back to the budding couple in the living room.  “It seems we inadvertently made a match out there,” I commented quietly.

Cole turned away from the window, snickering a bit.  “Yeah, I’ve rarely seen Zane give any woman a second glance before, but he’s really head-over-heels about Sofiya. He deserves to find someone like her.”

I couldn’t resist as I watched him grasp the handle of the suitcase and lift it from the bed, so I asked coyly, “And what about you?”

He reacted in surprise, looking at me quickly.  “Me?  What do you mean?” he asked, turning his face away again just as quickly.

“Well, don’t you think you deserve to find someone just as much as Zane does?” I suggested, sitting down on the bed I was about to leave.

Lowering his head a touch, he let his long bangs fall, partially concealing his eyes from me.  “Sure, I’d like to think that I do.  Maybe someday…”  He kept his head down.  “What about you?”

 _Well, **duh**_ … “It’d be nice,” I said, stating the obvious.  “There must be more to life than just saving Ninjago, right?” I finished with a vague smile.

Cole lifted his head again and inhaled suddenly like he’d just remembered something.  “Right.”  Checking the watch on his comlink, he observed, “It’s almost four.  We’d better be going soon.”

I couldn’t keep myself from sighing heavily.  “Sure…Sofiya might have totally forgotten about her four-thirty class.  We’d better go pry those two lovebirds apart.”  Cole was already out of the bedroom before I could get off of the bed. 

We left my, uh, _Sofiya’s,_ apartment after I hugged her ‘goodbye’, and Zane held her hands  again while being given her phone number.  They both appeared ready to burst from joy.  I was really happy for them, but there was no doubt about it.  I was also jealous.

Cole and Lloyd had already strapped my boxes to the Tread Assault and were anxious to get back to the ship, so as soon as Zane got his act together, we all took off.  It was not without some sadness that I cast a last look behind me as we pulled away, leaving my old, comfortable life behind.

The trip back to the _Bounty_ was largely quiet, since we both seemed to have something on our minds.  Occasionally a casual comment about the scenery or the day’s events came up. 

I did a lot of feeling sorry for myself over everything I was giving up, my uncertain future, and what Sofiya had that I didn’t, so by the time we got to the ship, I wasn’t exactly in the greatest of moods.

Cole had helped me tote everything to my room by the time Sensei appeared in the doorway, asking us how the day had gone.

The ninja leader gave me a quick look, subtly brushing his right arm as he replied, “Everything went very well, Sensei.  Arwyn took care of all of her loose ends, and we didn’t have any problems.”

 _What he doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt him, I guess_ , I thought as I opened a drawer of the dresser and began to fill it with clothes from the suitcase. 

I knew it was rude, but the sarcasm just had to get out of me when I piped up with, “Oh, yes, the severing of nearly all ties to my former life went very well, and now I think I’ll spend the next five minutes unpacking all of my things.”

I didn’t look up, but I heard Sensei murmur, “Very good, then,” before going on with, “Every new beginning comes from another beginning’s end.”

I stopped what I was doing and squeezed my eyes shut as the truth of the proverb hit me.  I felt Cole’s heaviness in my chest and longed to reach for him, in hopes of receiving a little sympathy, but I managed to kick that urge to the side and just opened my eyes again. 

Sensei had left, and Cole stood awkwardly by the door, staring at the colorful, lacey boy shorts I held in my fist, a dusting of pink across his tanned cheekbones.  _Well, terrific!_ I hurriedly tossed the panty into the drawer and reached back into the suitcase for something _else_ I could use to embarrass myself.

Giving me a reprieve, Cole promptly turned away toward the door.  “You don’t have a lot to unpack, so I’ll let you finish and go find the guys.  We should go over the rules and regs around here with you.  Just meet us in the bridge in a few minutes.” 

With that order, he left me alone with my sullen self.  I would have left me, too, if I could have.

A few minutes later in the bridge, after giving me a brief tour of the place with its radar and communications system, Cole commenced our meeting with Zane, Kai, and Jay in attendance seated around the table that stood in the middle of the room. 

“Okay, we just need to go over a few rules and let you know what to expect on a day-to-day basis,” he opened.  Addressing the guys, he said, “Jump in with anything you might want to add.”  After a second’s pause, he looked meaningfully at Kai and added, “If it’s _relevant.”_

Kai paid him no heed and put his feet on the table, kicking his chair back on its rear legs, saying, “Let’s get on with this, Mr. Chairperson.”

Scowling a bit at the young man in red, Cole started his litany to me.  “You already know when we get up and meet for breakfast.  Training will begin tomorrow morning at six-thirty.  Each day the exercises will be different, depending on who’s leading it with you.”  As he spoke, he used a pen to scratch things off of a little list he had placed on the counter beside him. 

“Depending on what we’re covering, we’ll usually break by twelve for lunch.  We always wear our uniforms during training, but running is done in whatever you want to wear.  Chores are usually done in the afternoon if we aren’t training more.”  I was beginning to wonder when I _wouldn’t_ be training.   

“Any leisure time is usually in the evening after supper at seven, unless Sensei gives us a day off.”  He continued to scratch on his list.  “You can wear whatever in the evening, also.  We all share the cooking chores, except Sensei and Lloyd.  The chart is in the kitchen.”  Cooking for eight was gonna be interesting.

He continued quickly.  “You are never to leave the _Bounty_ without a Master with you.  There’s a chart in the laundry room to find your laundry day.  The infirmary is your responsibility.  A list of chores…”  Did I hear that right?

“Whoa, whoa!  What?!” I interrupted him curtly with a confused look and a wave of my hands, straightening up from where I had been leaning on the counter a few feet from him.

The ninja leader gave me a blank look and knitted his brows.  “Excuse me?”

I got really animated suddenly, fanning my hands horizontally.  “Back up to the thing before the laundry!  The _‘never to leave the Bounty’ thing!”_

“That’s self-explanatory,” he said calmly, glancing at the rest of the team, who nodded in unison.

“I can’t leave the _Bounty_ _alone?”_ I repeated unnecessarily.

Cole sighed before answering me and leaned on the counter with one hand.  “It’s not safe for you, and you don’t have a means of transportation, anyway.”

I tried to calm myself a little and stood up straighter, replying impudently, “What if I learn to use the golden weapons and borrow one?”

“One of us will always be with you,” Cole shot back.

“What if my parents or Sofiya comes by and wants to take me somewhere?” I countered.

“One of us will always be with you,” Zane chimed in, supporting Cole, who nodded at him in appreciation.

I kept on, getting more irate.  “What if I just want to take a walk around on the ground for a change?”

“One of us will always be with you,” Kai came back with a bored yawn.

 _These guys are freaking ganging up on me!_ I screamed to myself.  Out of frustration, I threw up my hands and almost got loud.  “So I have to ask permission to do _anything_ , and I’m dependent on the bunch of you!  Like a _prisoner!”_

Cole face-palmed.  “You are _not_ a prisoner, just protected.”  He gestured at the other three Masters with a sweep of his arm.  “We are here to protect you!”

Crossing my arms with indignation, I exclaimed, “I’m not exactly okay with this!  If I’m so important, why don’t I get a say in anything?  There is nothing democratic going on here!” 

Jay stood from the table.  “Okay.  Let’s take a vote!”  Four different-colored arms went up at the same time.  “I guess one of us will always be you, Arwyn!  Motion to adjourn!” he called out, and the three at the table scattered.

Cole remained,  leaning by the counter with a concerned frown.  I just glared at him with my arms still crossed, seething.  He stood up straight, saying firmly, “We will just be with you wherever you are,” repeating himself from three nights ago.

Narrowing my eyes, I gritted my teeth and started to stomp past him to leave the bridge.  I couldn’t stand that I was acting like this, but I couldn’t stand that I had no freedom to come and go if I chose, either. 

The man in black reached out quickly and firmly grasped my upper arm.  I stopped, but refused to make eye contact. 

Speaking in an even tone, Cole said, “Arwyn, don’t fight this.  This is not _my_ directive, it comes from Sensei Wu.  To ensure your safety.  There’s no way around it.”

Making a fist, I tensed my upper arm under his hold.  Was this the only way I could get him to touch me again?  “What.  Ever,” was the only thing I could say without cursing.

“Arwyn, please—” he began, but stopped when I tensed my arm again, released me, and allowed me to walk away.

I didn’t stop until I had face-planted on my bed, where I stayed and pouted until I heard Kai call everyone for supper a while later.

At suppertime, my end of the table was unusually quiet.  I did a lot of staring at the food on my plate and only a little of eating it.  I didn’t want to face Cole or Sensei, and I had very little to say.  They didn’t bother me.

Lloyd thanked Cole for the chance to go to Ninjago City, even though the earth ninja reminded him that I was the one who had suggested he be able to come. 

The boy mumbled his thanks to me before telling everyone about the awesome graphic novels he had picked up at the comic store.  Ah, well, I hadn’t actually expected to make it all right with that little trip.  This was gonna be a work in progress.

Knowing Zane had probably not shared his story with anyone, Cole then brought up the subject of Sofiya, and, much to Zane’s embarrassment, how well they had hit it off.  That took care of conversation for a while.

When the meal finally ended, I brought my plate into the kitchen after everyone else and offered to help Kai with the dishes.  Apparently part of the cooking duties was to clean up after yourself, therefore limiting the mess you made. 

Since I wasn’t saying much, he kept up the conversation with talk about my training starting in the morning and some of the things he planned on sharing with me.  Before long, talk turned to Zane’s newfound love interest.

“Never thought Zane would have something like _that_ fall into his lap.  He’s a great guy, but really quiet and reserved,” Kai mused while he washed the last pot.  “Sofiya must really be something to have gotten his attention.”

Smiling with affection for my friend, I said, “Oh, she’s everything that I’m not.  Beautiful, even-tempered, sweet, graceful…”  

He mercifully interrupted my subtle self-criticism with a laugh.  “You make yourself sound like a troll next to her!  That’s likely not true at all!  She’s probably no more beautiful than you, and, as for the rest of it, the Green Ninja can’t be sweet,” he ended with raised brows as he handed me the pot to dry.

I chuckled a little at that and set the dry pot on the counter when I was done with it.  “Well, thanks for that, but it would still be nice to have what Zane and Sofiya seem to have.”  I leaned back against the kitchen cabinet with my hands on the counter edge.

“Maybe you will,” he suggested while emptying the sink and drying his hands on a towel.

I smiled longingly.  “Yeah, maybe at some point in my life.  I just don’t think it’ll be any time soon.”

“Why couldn’t it be?” he asked as he left the sink and moved close to me.  “It could happen…now, you know.”  His demeanor became serious as he reached up and cupped my cheek with his warm, damp hand, rubbing the corner of my mouth with his thumb. 

My wide eyes met his, and my pulse rate picked up as what he was leading up to suddenly occurred to me.    

When his elemental heat flared from the back of my scalp into my chest, I inhaled sharply between slightly-parted lips, but I was frozen to the spot.  I had only been kissed by a handful of guys in my life.  Should I let him, or should I run?

I ran out of time for decision-making when Kai closed the gap between us, so near that his warm body brushed mine, touching his lips to mine hesitantly at first, then a little more firmly when I didn’t pull away.  With butterflies in my stomach, I let my eyes close and felt his other hand come up so that he was holding my face between both hands.

I gripped the counter edge tighter as my heart and head raged against each other.  My heart screamed that this was _not_ the right guy, _not Cole_ , while my head reasoned that being kissed by Kai was not so bad a deal. 

He had been drinking cocoa-and-cinnamon-infused tea after supper, and I could almost taste the pleasant flavor as he parted his lips and lightly flicked my lower lip with the tip of his tongue.

In response, I did another sharp intake of breath, but didn’t open my lips more to him, at the same time noticing the growing pressure at my core right before I heard “Kai!  What the hell are you _doing?!”_   _No freakin’ way…_

Slowly ending the kiss in response, Kai looked me in the eyes as though waiting for my reaction to his romantic gesture.  Afraid to hurt his feelings, I bit my lower lip a little.  “Sorry, Kai.” 

“Ah, it was just a test anyway,” he answered lightly, seemingly unaffected by my lack of arousal.  He dropped his hands from the sides of my face and turned to face Cole and Nya in the kitchen doorway. 

Cole was fiercely gripping the door handle with one hand while Nya was gripping his other forearm.

Kai made a scoffing sound and crossed his arms over his chest.  “If you don’t know what I was doing, maybe you and I should have a long talk, Cole.”

Undisguisable anger flashed on the face of the team leader, and what could have been pain shown in the eyes of the man. 

Overwhelmed with regret, I lowered my face into both hands as shame and frustration threatened to consume me.  _Oh, God._   _I just screwed up my chances with him, didn’t I?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a note if you enjoyed (kinda like tipping:) Namaste!


	7. Kai's Butt Was Saved Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole witnesses the kiss shared by Kai and Arwyn and fears the worst. Will Kai survive the fallout?

****Cole’s POV**

Overall, the day had been a great one for me since I had been able to spend almost all of it with Arwyn.  Granted, it wasn’t so good in some respects, like when I nearly became homicidal toward Jin Kita in the clinic or when I was watching her make tough decisions about abandoning her former life.

All I could do was be there for support, because I knew all of that was hard for her.  Her sarcastic comment to Sensei in her new room had driven that fact home. 

Of course, I’m surprised I even caught that remark since I was kinda distracted by the lacy panty she was holding at the time…It was lavender….

_Ahem._ Anyway, knowing what kind of mood she was in, I had tried to slip the thing about not leaving the _Bounty_ in the middle of the rest of the rules to avoid too much commotion, but that failed miserably.  Realizing her independence was gonna be severely restricted really pissed her off, and worst yet, she got pissed at _me_.  I wasn’t sure how I was gonna handle that.

I had decided to give her time to quiet down in her room afterward and talk to her later, but I wasn’t even able to get her to make eye contact at suppertime.  Jay dragged me away right after that to show me some new techno thing he had installed in the bridge, which was impressive, but I lost track of Arwyn. 

Checking around afterward, I finally learned from Zane that she had offered to help Kai in the kitchen, which set off a _big_ alarm for me, so I high-tailed it in that direction.  Nya had overheard and followed me to act as damage control, which, in retrospect, was probably an intelligent move on her part.

When I opened the door to the kitchen and saw what they were doing, I felt like I had been kicked in the gut.  Then I almost lost it, feeling much the same way I had in the clinic when Jin Kita had suggestively propositioned Arwyn, except I didn’t quite want to _kill_ Kai, just maybe make him walk with a limp.

Arwyn didn’t seem to be encouraging him, since she wasn’t wrapped around him, which relieved me a tad, but she wasn’t slapping him silly, either.  That didn’t make me feel much better.

When the human torch didn’t back off of her as soon as I yelled at him, even pausing to whisper something to her before addressing me, it made me livid enough.  But when he made his smart-ass remark, I had started into the room to strangle him.  Unfortunately, Nya stopped me by digging her nails into my arm, which really got my attention.

Quaking with fury, it was all I could do to control myself, and Kai knew it as he strolled from the kitchen, passing Nya and me without looking at us.  He didn’t seem as self-satisfied as I would have expected, but I wasn’t concerned about that just now.

My attention focused on Arwyn, who still leaned against the counter, with her hands covering her face.  I was at a loss as to what I should do or say.  I couldn’t exactly be angry with her, since she had no idea how I felt about her.  

On the other hand, I was crushed.  I wouldn’t let her know how much I wanted her, but Kai had.  _Oh, God.  She returned his feelings, didn’t she?_ My anger was quickly waning and rapidly being replaced with sickening apprehension.

When Nya pushed me gently in her direction, I forced myself to make the few faltering steps to Arwyn’s side and placed a tremulous hand on her shoulder. 

While I fumbled for something to say, she dropped her hands from her face, but didn’t look up at me.  “I’m sorry,” was all she whispered before she pushed away from the counter and walked hastily past Nya and out of the kitchen.  _Sorry for what?  That we walked in on them?  That she wants Kai?_

I was left standing there, sick to my stomach, with desolation enveloping me.  Nya saw that and came to stand in front of me, rubbing my upper arms while we wordlessly stood in the middle of the kitchen for a moment.

My voice sounded raspy and miserable when I finally found it.  “What made me think I was so special that something like this wouldn’t happen?”

“Cole, you _are_ special,” she insisted.  “But if no one knows how you feel…”  She didn’t need to say ‘I told you so’.

“I know,” I responded with a sigh, closing my eyes, running my hands through my hair, and trying to remember how I had justified my nothing-but-a-teammate stance on the Green Ninja. 

In an effort to comfort me, Nya wrapped her arms around my waist in a tight embrace, and I circled her shoulders with a hug in return.  _All we need right now is for Jay to walk in._

“You need to talk to her,” she said against my chest after a moment.

I shook my head.  My resentment was starting to rise again.  “I need to talk to Kai,” I revised, suddenly decisive.  Nya released me and pushed away. 

“Maybe that’s not the best idea…,” she began anxiously as I walked toward the door.  “I’ll come with you.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I assured her over my shoulder.  “I won’t hurt him much.”

I found Kai in the passageway, probably on his way to the game room, since I could hear Jay and Lloyd trash-talking while they played some game.  He stopped with a wary expression when he saw me striding with dangerous intent toward him. 

“You mentioned we needed to have a long talk,” I began tersely as I flung open the nearest door, causing it to slam against the inside wall.  “I agree.”  It happened to be the weapons room.  Maybe not the best place for a confrontation, but anyway…

He sidestepped around me in an attempt to continue on his merry way, saying, “I don’t think we…,” but I got a handful of his upper sleeve and yanked him into the small room.  “It’s _not_ optional!”

Stumbling in, Kai jerked his sleeve out of my grasp as I closed the door behind us.  Standing in front of it, I turned to face my obviously pissed brother.  _You think **you’re** pissed?! _

Cutting to the chase, I erupted.  “Do you _not_ remember what I said about respecting her and treating her like a teammate, not just some girl you can run after?!  What did you think you were doing back there?!”

Pointing a finger in his face, I added, “And don’t give me some _flip_ remark, or so help me—!”

Totally unflustered, Kai held his hands up in front of him.  “Take it easy, muscle man!  I got the message about her being just a teammate, okay?”  He relaxed and crossed his arms.  “If you must know, I got shot down.  Subtly, but still shot down.  Are you happy now?”

Yes, I was getting _much_ happier, but tried desperately not to show it.  “What are you talking about?” I asked much more calmly, but still glowered at him.  _Gimme details here!_

He sighed and rolled his eyes, perhaps feeling a little humbled by whatever had happened.  “I’m sure you’ve kissed plenty of girls so that you can tell if one wants you or not.”  I crossed my arms and nodded once to encourage him to continue.

“Well, when one doesn’t kiss you back, **_at all_** _,_ you get the message pretty quickly,” he ended with a mumble and a downward glance.  Taking a deep breath and straightening up, he continued, “But at least that’s out of the way, and I can concentrate on training her.”

I just stared at him, slightly stunned and, oh, so very relieved.  I _almost_ felt a little bad for him, but didn’t.  “Sorry, Kai,” I offered, although I didn’t really feel it.

“Yeah, that’s what she said,” he shrugged resignedly.  “Oh, well.  Are we done here?”  He reached for the door handle, and this time I let him go while everything he had said sank in. 

He had kissed her, and she hadn’t cared, she hadn’t returned it!  That made me so ecstatic I could have done a backflip if the room wasn’t so small and crowded!  My world _wasn’t_ disintegrating! _I still have a chance!_ I thought, beaming with joy, and raising my fists above my head like a ref calling a touchdown. 

_Wait, a chance at **what** exactly?  You’ve made the decision that no one, besides Nya, will know how you feel about the **Green Ninja**.  Now what?_

Feeling beaten, I threw my back against the wall, and slid down it until I was sitting on the floor.  I had just deflated myself with that reminder.  This emotional roller coaster was really exhausting me.  I knew I couldn’t keep doing this to myself forever. 

I pulled my knees up and hugged them, staring at the floor in front of me.  I had to concentrate on her training and my own performance before that slipped and I had Sensei on my back.  The personal stuff was going to have to take a hiatus.  _Green Ninja, Green Ninja, Green Ninja._   _Remember the mantra._

When I left the weapons room a few minutes later, I went looking for Arwyn to at least settle the dispute in the bridge, and maybe even hear anything she had to say about Kai.  I followed Nya’s voice down the hall to the infirmary and discovered her and Arwyn sorting and putting away all of the medical supplies we had purchased earlier in the day. 

Both women looked up when I entered the doorway, but Arwyn went back to what she was doing almost immediately, seeming a little agitated to find me there, though not angry.  Nya had a worried, questioning look, so I returned the ‘OK’ sign to let her know Kai was still alive and well. 

She gave a relieved nod and continued unpacking the supplies, saying, “You know, considering how often you guys hurt yourselves, I don’t know how we’ve managed without most of this stuff before Arwyn brought it.”  I chuckled and crossed my arms while leaning against the doorjamb.  Arwyn stayed quiet while she organized and stored the medications.

Nya tried again as she stashed a bundle of dressings in a cupboard.  “She also has great ideas about transforming this room into a real infirmary.  Arwyn, you’ll have to show him the sketches you made for a new floor plan.” 

Arwyn lifted her hand in a little wave as she began placing scissors, forceps, and a few other surgical instruments in a box.  “Maybe later.  I’m sure he’s not excited to see more work cut out for him.”  _I’d be excited if you’d just look at me, talk to me, **something.**_

“Oh, that doesn’t matter,” Nya insisted.  With a determined air she turned to me.  “She wants to add cabinets, shelves, an exam table, and a sink with running water.  Cole, you and Kai could build all of that and run a pipe from Sensei’s bath since it’s closest, couldn’t you?” 

I raised my brows at the daunting thought of building anything, especially with Kai, but if Arwyn asked for it, I was willing to do what I could to give it to her.  “Anything you want, we could definitely try,” I pledged with enthusiasm.  That earned me a couple of surprised looks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sensei’s door open, and he stepped out into the hallway, coming to stand by my side to peer into the infirmary.  “Ah, I see you have found a niche, Arwyn,” he said, pleased, surveying the items with interest.  “It has been long in coming that we had a proper medical infirmary.”

Arwyn bowed while looking at him, saying, “Yes, Sensei.  It’ll be a place for me to channel some energy when Cole is not keeping me busy elsewhere.”  I straightened up.  Was that a jab?

“Good, good,” Sensei nodded in approval.  Turning toward his door, he said, “Speaking of Cole, I’d like to see you in my quarters for a while,” before slipping back into his haven.

“Of course, Sensei,” I said to his disappearing form as I tried not to sigh and followed him in. 

Once I was settled on the tatami mat with a cup of pale, lavender-scented tea…um…lavender…Sensei wasted no time getting down to business.  “I sensed a disturbance earlier, perhaps between two brothers…?”

I almost sputtered as I was taking a sip of the hot tea.  What _didn’t_ this mystical man notice around here?  “There _was_ an issue, Sensei, but I think it may have resolved itself for the most part,” I said confidently.

“I certainly hope that is the case,” he responded somewhat reproachfully.  “Strife between team members could be devastating to our goal.  It is understandable that Arwyn’s arrival has created a disruption in the usual operations here on the _Bounty,_ and I sense certain sentiments may have arisen.  However, I trust that, as the leader, you will be able to work around that.” 

I narrowed my gaze suspiciously on him.   _Just what is he getting at?_

In a roundabout way, he let me know.  “I am certain that I do not need to remind you that all of your energy and focus should be concentrated on training the Green Ninja and remaining calm and collected with her during battle.”  I almost cringed. 

“There can be no distractions,” he said adamantly.  “Is this clear, Cole?”

Why didn’t he just come out and say what he meant already?  ‘You have to deny your feelings, your very heart, and settle for a platonic relationship for as long as it takes.  Do nothing but train her, and don’t screw up, or it’s your ass.’

I looked him dead in the eye.  “It is _crystal_ -clear, Sensei.”  _Holy crap_.

That sealed it.  I had to control this, and Arwyn could not know.  How long could I seriously keep this up?

“Excellent,” he said, sounding satisfied.  “Now, how do you plan to start her training tomorrow?”

I sighed and spent the better part of the next hour outlining my plan to begin shaping the Green Ninja.  By the time Sensei Wu finally released me, and I got back to the infirmary, the women were gone.  Arwyn and Nya had finished unpacking everything, stuffing the cupboards full and stacking the overflow on the low cot. 

Checking my watch, I noticed it was time for lights out since we had a lot to do tomorrow.   A light was on under Nya’s door, and although Arwyn was not in her room, I could hear the shower running in the women’s bathroom, so I figured she was there.  _So much for talking to her before bedtime_.

I went on to the bunkroom to shower, getting to bed after everyone else was asleep.  Nearly an hour later, I was still staring into the dark, contemplating the day’s events, and listening to Zane mumble ‘Sofiya’ several times in his sleep.  He had lied when he said nindroids don’t dream.

Frustrated in my attempt at slumber, I finally threw back the covers and got quietly out of bed.  _Time to wander the ship_. 

In just a T-shirt and pajama pants, I ambled down the corridor, pausing when I got to Arwyn’s closed door.  I was hoping it wasn’t my imagination that I didn’t feel she was in there.

When I reached the top steps of the stairway to the main deck, I spotted her at the port-side railing, sitting on the wooden deck, wrapped in the quilt.  I stopped a minute, unsure whether to disturb her or not and telling myself this was contradictory to the assurances I had given Sensei previously.

All of that was forgotten when I heard her call to me.  “You have an open invitation, Cole.”  Smiling with happiness, I thought, _Sensei who?,_ and quickly reached the railing, dropping down cross-legged beside her, our knees touching.

She had been gazing up at the now-full moon, watching the drifting wisps of clouds as they partially obscured it from time to time.  Now she turned to me, finally making eye contact for the first time this evening since our confrontation in the bridge, smiling at me in a warm, yet sad, sort of way. 

“Couldn’t sleep, either?” she asked as the light breeze blew a couple of locks of curly hair across her face.  I just shook my head, denying the urge to reach out and tuck the tendrils behind her ear, instead, brushing my own bangs off of my forehead. 

“Any particular reason?” she inquired, apparently offering me the opportunity to broach any one of the touchy subjects available.

I couldn’t tell her I had been tempted to pull Kai down from his bed a minute ago just because, or that Sensei was fine with me being frustrated indefinitely as long as I did my job well.  I went with something a little less controversial.  “Just thinking about your training and hoping we teach you well enough,” I lied.

“I’m a little worried about that, too, but some other things are bothering me more.”  Sighing, she looked out over the silvery sand.  “I feel the need to apologize for a couple of things.” 

My ears perked up at this.  She was definitely not beating around the bush.

“I don’t like the way I reacted in the bridge this afternoon,” she continued while examining the pattern on the quilt covering her crossed legs.  “I shouldn’t have projected my anger on you.  It’s the loss of my independence I’m angry about, not you or something you did.”

Well, it was nice to know she hadn’t been hating me over that.  I sat quietly observing her and let her continue.

“In fact, I’m sitting here hating myself for feeling sorry for myself over everything I gave away today:  my job, my car, my apartment, and apparently the ability to win an argument against a tight band of brothers.”  She looked at me with that last bit, smiling a little ruefully. 

I smiled back with understanding, saying, “Well, you can forget about that last thing, ‘cause we ninja stick together.  But seriously, I knew today was hard for you.  I’m sorry there was nothing I could do to make it easier.”

She shrugged.  “At least you made it interesting.”  Smiling with a deliberate survey of my hand, she asked,  “How’re your knuckles?”

Opening and closing my right fist a couple of times, I chuckled with feigned arrogance.  “Puh-leaze!  I’ve hit harder things than that wall _tons_ of times.”

“Hmm.”  With a little smile, she cocked an eyebrow.  “Anything harder than a heavy bag?”

My head jerked up, and I fixed her with a startled look.  How, and _what_ , did she know about _that?_   She turned away and went on before I could form a question.

“I also need to apologize for something else,” she spoke faster than before as though she was afraid to lose her nerve.  “I don’t want to be the cause of Kai getting into trouble with you for whatever reason.  I shouldn’t have let him do that, and I’m sorry.”  She looked even further away from me with that.

I was taken aback by the change in subject and her assertion that she must be at fault for something that idiot, Kai, had done.  Irritation with him flared up in me again for a moment. 

“Kai needs no help getting himself into trouble.  He should be treating you as a teammate and with more respect,” I stated bluntly, barely pausing before adding, “Unless that was something you wanted him to do.” 

That just flew out of my mouth, but it was something I needed to know.  I held my breath and steeled myself for her answer.  Thankfully, she didn’t hesitate.

“Not really,” she said quietly as she turned to look me straight in the eyes.  “I don’t actually think of him that way.”

_Oh, thank God!_   With that tidbit of information, I thought I could probably sleep tonight!  Speaking of which…I glanced up at the moon’s position.  “It’s getting really late, and you have a challenging day ahead,” I reminded both of us.  “We’d better get to bed for at least a few hours of sleep.”

Arwyn reluctantly nodded her agreement, and we stood and headed below deck in silence.  At her bedroom door, we paused and faced each other in the dim light of the corridor’s wall sconce.

I was about to say ‘good night’ and take off when she took a deep breath and tentatively said, “This is gonna sound lame, but after I’ve had days like this, my daddy would say I’m like a reed bent in the wind and that he could hold me up and help me to be stronger.” 

With the quilt still pulled tightly around her, she looked up at me solemnly.  “I know it’s not very ninja-like, but would you hold me for a just a moment so I can feel like it’s all gonna be alright?”

_Oh. My. God_.  I was speechless at her request.  I knew damn well I shouldn’t, I didn’t need this to increase my temptation and torment!  But she looked so vulnerable and alone, I couldn’t refuse her.  With a pounding heart, I thought, _What’s this one time gonna hurt?_ and opened my eager arms to her.

She stepped closer, and I pulled her to me, enfolding her securely in my embrace as she nestled her head against my shoulder.  Having her in my arms again, and this time being able to appreciate it more, was an amazing feeling, even with the stupid quilt between us.  Closing my eyes and letting my jaw brush the side of her head, I smiled serenely as I breathed deeply and took in the clean, floral scent of her soft, black curls.

I thought I was in heaven until I caught the tiniest creak of a door from far down the hall, followed by the sound of Sensei Wu clearing his throat.  My eyes snapped open, and I stiffened, tightening my hold on Arwyn, whom I felt tense against me in response.  Forcing myself not to look in his direction, I willed us to disappear, but it wasn’t happening.

“Cole.”  He made my name sound like a warning.  “Is it not time that everyone was abed?”  he asked, his voice dripping with displeasure, adding, “In their respective rooms?”  Was that comment seriously necessary?

I inhaled deeply as I released Arwyn and stepped away from her gingerly.  “That’s where we were heading, Sensei,” I informed him as calmly as I could, while looking her in the eye.  I felt like a teenage boy feeling up some girl and getting busted by her father.

Arwyn must have had the same thought as we stood facing each other, our profiles to Sensei Wu, for she fought to suppress an embarrassed giggle.  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, apologizing needlessly again. 

“Don’t be,” I whispered back with a grin and a wink.  “Just smile and bow,”  I instructed her.  Together we turned toward Sensei, bowing with our gazes on him and saying, “Good night, Sensei.”  As he returned the bow with a little frown, I faced her again, saying, “Good night and rest well.  I’ll see you at breakfast.”

Arwyn told me ‘good night’ and slipped into her bedroom as I strode toward the bunkroom, feeling my master regarding me the entire way.  _I may pay the piper later, but it’ll be worth it_ , I mused as I opened the door and stepped inside without looking back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment? Kudo? Did you read and like? Let me know! Namaste!


	8. One For You, One For Me, and A Little Something For Kai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The training of the Green Ninja can be rough, but there's also time for fun!

****Arwyn’s POV**

After the incident with Kai, and everything I had had to do all day, sleep had proven to be elusive again.  I sincerely regretted letting him kiss me like that, since I didn’t mean to encourage him in any way, but I think he got the idea afterward that I only saw him as a friend. 

What I _truly_ regretted was having Cole see it.  I didn’t need him thinking I was after one of his brothers when I was already having a tough time getting _his_ attention!  And I didn’t mean to cause any kind of trouble between them as soon as I arrived, either.   

I had eventually found myself on the main deck as I had the night before, mulling over everything and wallowing in self-pity. 

My heart had leapt when I felt Cole’s presence closer to me.  He had come again to join me on the deck for a late-night chat!  Was he just being a protective leader, or did he actually care for me?  If only I _knew_ it was the latter, I could consider opening my heart to him. 

I had at least had a chance to reconcile with him before he started getting back at me during training, which settled my conscience, and I had been able to let him know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was _not_ wanting _Kai!_   However, I was still feeling pretty low and alone when he ushered me to my room.  That’s why I impulsively and uncharacteristically decided to let my guard down and asked to be held. 

As soon as the request left my mouth, I regretted having made it.  A look of distress crossed Cole’s face and for an instant I feared he might tell me to suck it up, or worse, wonder what kind of sniveling ninny had just been dumped on him. 

Instead, he almost immediately took me into his arms with a look of tenderness I had not hoped to expect.  Relief flooded over me as I gratefully snuggled against his muscular frame and savored the sensation of his strong arms surrounding me. 

Between his embrace and the intense sense of his element, I don’t think I had ever felt as safe and content in my life as I did at that moment.  _Here and now, I could die happy,_ I thought blissfully.

Then Sensei Wu had to go and screw it all up.

We at least got to share a light-hearted moment after that, which carried over into  breakfast the next morning.  It was impossible for me to look at Sensei, who, I believe, was trying to look intimidating, without a little guilty giggling, which got Cole snickering watching me. 

Jay finally asked us to share the joke, but after a crushing look from Cole, who accompanied that with a swipe of his finger across his throat, he dropped it.

The training of the Green Ninja began on the main deck after breakfast as the Masters announced they’d be evaluating my limits before actually teaching me any skills.  For some reason, it had not occurred to me sooner that this was going to be similar to freaking boot camp. 

They pushed me all morning until they felt satisfied that they had found every weakness I had.  My strengths were few.  I had never handled a weapon, so that was a big weakness.  Since I was near Cole, I proved to be stronger than I thought, but I couldn’t climb without good handholds to save my life, so cue another weakness. 

I had never run farther than a 5K, even then just barely finishing it, but alongside Jay and Zane, I went nearly twice that distance without difficulty, leaving Kai and Cole in the dust.  I at least had that.  

I couldn’t summon an element yet, and of course had no clue as to how to do Spinjitzu.  Clearly they had their work cut out for them. 

And work me they did.  It was a fast-track trial by fire.  Over the first couple of days, my instructors didn’t cut me any slack, but overall, Cole was the toughest.  He was kinda distant and all business, pushing me hard beyond my limits any time he could.  Some of the tasks he gave me seemed nearly impossible, but I was determined not to fail, so I did them as best I was able.

Nothing I did seemed to impress him, however, like when I managed my first flame during elemental training with Kai, and he barely even acknowledged it.  Zane, Jay, and Kai tried to encourage me as I progressed, but Cole just demanded more.  I was getting a little aggravated.

Through all of this, Sensei came and went, observing us, but rarely speaking to me.  He merely nodded from time to time and conferred often with Cole, then disappeared for a while. 

It didn’t even seem to bother Cole when I took a hit or a fall, and I took plenty.  He just turned away as if disappointed.  That hurt figuratively and literally.  I was soon covered in bruises.  The worst one come from the ebony-clad man himself,  ironically. 

After lunch on day two, he had been showing me some bo staff maneuvers, and we were doing a little sparring with each other when I foolishly let Jay’s antics distract me to my right for a fraction of a second.  That was really bad timing since it happened just as the earth ninja was taking his bo out of a spin and into a strike leveled at my head, expecting me to at least try to deflect it. 

Well, we were both in for a surprise.  The staff sent my helmet flying, and I found myself face-down on the wooden deck wondering what in the world had hit me.

I didn’t actually see stars, but my vision was a little blurry as I sat up dazedly, a hand to my painful left temple.  I could just make out Cole’s stricken face as he stood gripping his bo, petrified in a pose like he was about to leap forward. 

Jay got to me first and helped me up and to the kitchen, commenting about how pretty and purple my eye was getting as he applied a bag of frozen peas.  Kai and Zane ran in to check on me, balking with painful expressions when they saw the swelling.

After patting me on the back and assuring me it wasn’t _so_ bad, the fire and ice ninja scurried back to the training area, leaving me to Jay’s ministrations.  I couldn’t help but wonder why Cole hadn’t appeared.

Crestfallen, I said, “He doesn’t care, does he?” as I held the icy vegetables to my forehead and eye, and we took a break, sipping cool water as we leaned against the kitchen cabinets.

“Cole?” he asked needlessly, stopping his glass halfway to his lips.  “Of course he does!  You should have seen the look on his face after he hit you, like he was terrified he’d killed you!  It was actually priceless on _him_!” 

He laughed, then stopped when he saw my expression wasn’t mirthful.  “Really, Arwyn, he didn’t mean to do that, and I know it bothered him.  I can’t explain why he’s not in here right now, but….”

“Probably because he’s only worried about damaging the Green Ninja, not me,” I interrupted dejectedly. 

Jay passed his hand over his forehead and down his face, like I was trying his patience.  “That’s not the case.  Cole’s not the easiest person to read, but I can tell there’s something holding him back.  Maybe he’s stressed about the training, or Sensei’s bugging him.  He _has_ been lurking more than usual….”  He looked at me deliberately.  “If you would only _tell_ him.  Or you could let me…” 

I glared at him with my non-puffy eye.  “You _know_ I can’t do that if I think he won’t care!”

Jay sighed heavily and turned toward the kitchen door when he noticed it slowly open, and Cole stuck his head inside.  _He’s here!_

“How’s everything going?” he asked cautiously with a slight smile, coming to stand a few feet from me.  I lowered the peas, and noticed the smile get tighter, his jaw tensing.  “Eh, gotta little…bruise there,” he observed.  I wondered just how bad it was since everyone seemed to comment on it with the same kind of facial expression. 

His gaze shifted to Jay as he added with a humorless grin, “Guess that’s a lesson in never taking your eye off of your opponent, especially to check out the local goofball.”  Jay and I both rolled our eyes.  Just like a teacher to turn this into a lesson.

“Anyway, think you’re ready to get back on the horse and try again?” he suggested,  holding out a hand to me with a cheerful air that wasn’t reflected in his face. 

I took a breath.  “Sure!” I declared with enthusiasm, slapping the now lukewarm bag of legumes into his open hand and moseying toward the door.  “We’ve got a few hours till sunset.  May as well see if we can _black_ the other eye!”

Thankfully, we finished that day without another incident, and although my eye was a topic of conversation at supper, I wasn’t able to talk to Cole about anything later. 

Those first couple of evenings, I was so burnt out that I could barely do my chores and take care of eating and bathing before I was passing out, so any chance I may have had to be alone with him was blown. 

Near the end of the third day of training I was finally able to be alone with him for a minute.  Zane had been working with me on some Spinjitzu moves while handling the shurikens when one of them went awry, striking the metal strap on the main mast and ricocheting in Cole’s direction. 

With his back to us, he had no chance of evasion, although Zane and I both yelled a warning an instant before the razor-sharp, six-pointed star buried itself in the posterior deltoid in an unprotected spot right behind his left shoulder.

I ran to his side as he gripped the injured limb with an annoyed grimace.  Blood was already oozing from around the deeply embedded projectile.  “Really, Zane?” he rebuked the ice ninja irritably.

“I am sorry, Cole.  I suppose I did not adjust my throw enough for that last gust of wind,” Zane said in apology.

“It was no one’s fault,” I insisted.  “But you need to let me see this.  It’s gonna need stitches.”  I snagged his gi belt with a finger and began tugging him toward the stairs to below deck.  He started to refuse, but quickly gave up and followed me to the infirmary.

Once there, I gingerly, yet swiftly, removed the shuriken, then instructed him to strip to the waist as I went to fill the pitcher with water.  After returning, I gathered a few gauze pads, placing them on a small table I had found previously in one of the storerooms before turning back to Cole. 

He had been unbuckling the straps of his armor, wincing slightly from time to time, but had not yet taken off anything by the time I got to him.   _What?  Is he hurting or being modest?_  

“Let me help you with that,” I offered, working with him to remove the shoulder armor and vest, trying to reduce the movement of his left arm and limit the pain and bloody mess.

Being so near to him affected me much more than I thought it would.  Working once as a nurse in triage at an ER, I had trained myself to become somewhat detached from the person and focus on the wound when necessary, but it was not possible to do that at the moment.

The day had been sunny and hot, and now, standing so closely to him, I could feel the warmth radiating from him.  His exposed skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat, causing his bangs to adhere a little to his forehead, and he smelled of freshly-plowed fields after a warm spring rain. 

Understandably, this was not something many women were acquainted with or could even appreciate, but the familiar aroma made me both homesick and aroused at the same time. 

I felt a warmth course through my body, and I had a sudden reckless urge to take advantage of the situation…and the man in front of me.  You know, just to see if I could get a reaction out of him.

Not waiting for him to do it himself, I untied the belt around his jacket, which he allowed without protest.  When that was done, I slipped my hands under the jacket lapel on either side, and deliberately slid my fingertips and palms slowly across his broad, rock-hard chest and shoulders, pushing the jacket open, revealing the black, fitted shirt underneath, which clung to his moist skin. 

Feeling my pulse quicken, I started down the curve of his deltoids, glancing up at his face to see if I was causing more pain, or anything else, since his element seemed to be growing even more obvious than usual.  

He had a ten-thousand–mile stare going on over my head when he suddenly grasped my forearms with both hands, stopping me as the jacket settled at his elbows.  Locking my gaze with his, he said somewhat breathlessly, “I can finish,” released me, and let the jacket fall to the floor.

Quickly turning away from me to his right, he pulled the tight, black undershirt over his head with a little grunt, allowing me a wonderful view of his wide, well-muscled back smeared with blood from the large laceration.

_Damn!_ I thought as I watched the blood run from the gaping shoulder wound, only I _wasn’t_ cursing about the injury.  _I need to find more excuses for this herculean Adonis to go shirtless!_

Of course that could be a moot point since I wasn’t very skilled at flirting, and he wasn’t encouraging it.  Was I misinterpreting the few times I had _thought_ he had shown some kind of interest in me? 

Hoping I hadn’t made a fool of myself, I grabbed a handful of gauze and applied pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding, not bothering to apologize when I made him flinch. 

****Cole’s POV**

Zane had appeared in the doorway of the infirmary right after I had turned my back to Arwyn, which I had _had_ to do to keep her from seeing the embarrassing effect her touch had had on me below my belt. 

He had left for a moment and came back with the two chairs on which she and I were now seated, apologizing again while he assisted her in cleaning and stitching the apparently-gaping wound. 

I didn’t even care about the injury.  I was just glad it had happened to me and not the woman tending to it.  Again.

It had been brutal to watch these first three days of her training.  She was working so doggedly, trying to do everything we asked of her, trying to prove herself.  And I wasn’t so easy on her, pushing her past her limits on everything, jumping to advanced techniques as soon as she got half an idea about the basic ones.

Then every time she got hit, every time she fell hard, I was forced to turn away so no one could see my agonized reaction.  It seemed so wrong.  She was a healer and a peacemaker, getting beaten up by her guardians and protectors.  The only good thing was that each day her defensive skills were improving, and she took fewer hits.

But I had to be the one who gave her the biggest one so far.

She had been parrying with the bo fairly well, but that instant of distraction from Jay had her turning her head at the very moment I was carrying through my last strike.  She didn’t notice it coming at her, and I couldn’t stop it.

Thank God for her helmet, although I knocked it from her head.  It had probably prevented a fracture, or something worse.  I couldn’t help the panicked look I know came over my face, and I was almost unable to stop myself from flinging my staff, scooping her up in my arms, and running from the deck. 

Except that I knew Sensei was on the quarterdeck and watching me like a hawk the entire time.  I must remain ‘calm and collected with her during battle’ he had said.  I was having to train myself as well as her.

I tried to stay on task with her training and not spend too much time around her unless I was directly instructing her.  That was really getting on my nerves.  Like I said, he didn’t mind if I was frustrated.

Working like that kept me from being able to talk to her much, and our nights on the deck were over for a while at least since she fell asleep as soon as she lay down.  At least I knew from checking on her after everyone else was asleep that she was alright and resting, so I was able to sleep, too.

I had thought my plan for her training wouldn’t seem unusual to the others, but I was proven wrong.  At bedtime on the second day, I had gotten the feeling the guys were loitering suspiciously in the bunkroom for a few moments before they cornered me as I was about to brush my teeth in the bathroom.  

All three stood in the doorway with concerned expressions as Jay started the intervention with both hands on the doorjambs.  “Cole, we need to talk.  Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you _trying_ to make Arwyn hate you?”

_Bro, if you only knew how I actually feel about her_ …

Narrowing my gaze at them, I put down the toothbrush and paste with a puzzled look.  “What the hell are you talking about?” 

“Come on, man,” Kai put in from over Jay’s shoulder.  “I thought you liked her a little, but you’re really working her like crazy.  She’s gonna burn out fast if this continues.  Hell, you even blacked her eye.” 

I ran a hand through my damp hair and squeezed the back of my neck _hard_ to control my reaction to that last part, thinking, _Thanks for making me feel crappier._

Zane put in his two cents as Kai stepped back.  “Indeed.  Some of the skills you are insisting she try now, we did not even tackle until we had been training for weeks.”  _That’s because we were lazy, egotistical jerks,_ I remembered.

I sighed deeply and placed both hands on the countertop while staring at the floor.  “Look, I’ve thought hard about this, okay?  I made a promise to her the first night we met that we’d never leave her, but I don’t know if I can keep that promise.” 

I turned to look at the three in the bunkroom.  “I don’t want her to ever be unprotected, but we don’t know what may happen when the final battle gets here.  I don’t want her to be unprepared.  We all expect to be there to support her, but we have to plan for her to be alone, so she needs to be trained accordingly.”

The other three guardians of the Green Ninja stood somberly in the doorway considering my words for a few moments.  Finally Kai broke the silence.  “Okay, you’ve got a point.  But maybe we could go a little easier on her and try not to hurt her worse?”  Zane and Jay nodded agreement.

“The last thing I want to do is hurt her,” I growled under my breath as I faced the mirror and brought the toothbrush to my mouth.  They had left me alone after that.

Thinking about all of that had occupied my mind while Arwyn cleaned and stitched my wound.  Once she and Zane were done with that and had cleaned up everything, we decided to call it a day a little early.  Zane left to start supper since he had volunteered for the night, leaving Arwyn and me alone for a precious few minutes.

I stood in my gi pants, holding my shirt, jacket, and armor, watching her put away the clean instruments, and wishing I could say everything I wanted to her.  All I could manage was, “Thank you.” 

Arwyn turned to me with a radiant smile, responding, “You’re welcome,” then placed a hand on my arm and looked around my shoulder at the closed wound.  Closing my eyes briefly, I relished the feeling of her gentle touch on my bare skin. 

“It looks pretty good right now.  We just need to keep it clean and watch it for signs of infection,” she commented easily. 

When she straightened up again and faced me, I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out and tucking her hair away from the left side of her face, exposing the slightly swollen, purple area around her eye and temple.  Seeing it still made my heart ache.  “I’m sorry,” I finally voiced, although I had wanted to scream it yesterday.

She swallowed hard before trying to reassure me with a faint smile.  “It’s okay.  Just a bruise, right?  Lesson learned and everything?”  I grimaced at that.

“I hadn’t meant to sound like that,” I started, reaching up again and impulsively touching the side of her jaw with my fingertips, her chin with my thumb.   She did a sharp intake of breath, looking at me with surprise, and quickly lifted her hand, grasping mine.  As we stood there in the infirmary, staring at each other, I felt like time had stopped. 

Then it started again.

From the hallway door, we heard Sensei ask, “Cole, should you not be on your way to the shower since you are already _half-undressed?”_ as he was on his way to his quarters.

I closed my eyes in mild exasperation and dropped my hand as Arwyn released it before taking a step away from me and going to close the cupboard.  “Yes, Sensei.  That sounds like a good idea,” I said patiently as I obediently left the room, wondering why it seemed to be his crusade for us to never be alone.

After my shower, I walked out into the bunkroom to hear Kai grumbling about being last in line to bathe when he had sand in uncomfortable places.  Zane was next, and Jay wasn’t giving up his spot in line, so Zane made the comment about Kai going to the women’s bathroom since Arwyn was going to soon be finishing up in there and it would be free. 

That got me to thinking that now might be a good time to let off some steam.

I waited until Kai had grabbed his towels, clothes, and toiletries, going to stand in the hall until Arwyn finished up, before I approached Jay in the bunkroom as he was waiting for Zane to be done.  “I need you to do something for me without asking questions,” I said in a low voice.

He glanced furtively around the room like he expected me to ask for something immoral or illegal.  “Okay,” he agreed slowly.  “Whatcha got?”

I quickly outlined the specific instructions I needed him to follow, we set our comlink watch timers, and parted ways.  He headed to the hold, and I ran to the kitchen and got what I needed, then ran back to the women’s bathroom.

Outside the door, I listened for the sound of running water, knowing Kai was the occupant.  Slipping silently into the already-steamy room, I was grateful for the opaque shower curtain as I gathered all of the towels and Kai’s clothing and stowed them near the door. 

Noting a pair of small cotton shorts hanging on a hook by the door, I recognized them as the ones Arwyn had worn to bed the night I had stayed at her apartment.  I decided to be merciful and left them, thinking, _He wanted to get into her pants anyway, right?_

Checking the timer on my comlink, I hoped Jay was keeping track of time and waited the few seconds it counted down.  Right on cue, the water shut off to the shower.  Kai exclaimed in surprise and tried turning the water handles a couple of times.

I grabbed the five-pound bag of flour I had obtained from the kitchen, ripped the top off, and dumped the entire bag over the shower curtain rod directly onto Kai’s head.  He gasped first in shock and confusion, then yelled a _really_ ugly word in anger as I dropped the empty bag, grabbed the bundle on the floor, and ran out of the room, doing my best not to laugh out loud in victory.

I could hear the hothead yelling more obscenities as I ran down the hall toward the bunkroom.  Passing the game room on the way, I looked in and saw Lloyd in a beanbag by the television with a comic book, and Arwyn and Nya talking and relaxing on the couch with magazines.  _Perfect_ , I thought with glee.

I dropped the bundle onto Kai’s bunk, then jogged back to the game room.  The couch faced the television to the right of the room.  That wouldn’t do.  I hurried to the far end of the couch and lifted it with the startled women on it, moving it around to face the open door, the coffee table getting pushed alongside it.

Plopping down between Arwyn and Nya on the couch, I settled back against the cushions, resting my arms on the back of the couch behind their shoulders.  Practically giggling, I propped my feet on the coffee table in front of me.

Nya was the first to speak, narrowing her gaze at me.  “Um, Cole, what’s up?” 

I looked at her, then Arwyn with a Cheshire grin.  “Just getting comfortable to enjoy the show.”  I could hear Kai’s angry exclamations getting closer.

Arwyn glanced at the silent television.  With some confusion she asked, “What show?”

“You’ll see,” I answered with delighted anticipation.

Nya and Arwyn looked at each other, then at me.  Hearing Kai, Arwyn asked, “What happened?”

“It’s not what _happened_ , it’s something Cole _did!”_ Nya deduced with a disapproving look at me.  Just then, Jay slipped into the room with a secretive smirk, nodded at me, and threw himself into another beanbag at the end of the couch opposite Lloyd, who stood and leaned on the back of the couch expectantly.

Nya turned on Jay.  “Are you in on something, too?”  He shrugged with a grin and watched the door eagerly. 

Things had been quiet for the last few seconds, until we heard Zane’s voice farther down the corridor.  “Kai, what in the world has happened to you?”

“COLE OR JAY!  ONE OR BOTH OF THEM IS DEAD!!” yelled the hot-tempered ninja.  A moment later, Kai stepped into the doorway. 

He was soaking wet and covered with a thick, white paste which ran down his naked torso and arms and dripped onto the floor.  His wet hair and face were also covered with even more of the thick paste, but some of the flour on his head was still dry and puffed off of him as he moved.  Only his eyes and mouth were visible through the caked-on mess on his face. 

To top it off, he was wearing only the very short, snug-fitting, chartreuse-colored, cotton shorts I had left him.  They clung to his damp skin in a _very_ revealing way.

He stood there seething, fists clenched at his sides, glaring at me.  Everyone in the room was rendered speechless for a second, until I heard Arwyn clear her throat next to me and calmly ask, “Are those my shorts?”

The dam burst at that moment as everyone began laughing so hard we could barely breathe.

Kai continued to stand in the doorway, glowering, waiting for the howling to die down.  I noticed him reach down self-consciously to tug the front of the thin shorts away from him and almost lost it even more.

Zane walked up behind him, chuckling, and handed Kai a towel which he used to wrap around his hips.  When some of the laughter was a little quieter, he pointed accusingly at me.  “I know you have something to do with this,” he growled low in his throat.

I stood from the couch and folded my arms across my chest, not trying to wipe the smile from my face.  “I claim full credit for this, hot pants,” I stated proudly.  “That’s for hanging up on me, then ignoring my calls a few days ago.”  I gave him a warning glare.  “You don’t do that and get away with it.”  Of course, it might have also been for kissing Arwyn in the kitchen…

“I do seem to remember you saying Cole followed the adage ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’,” Zane snickered.

Kai opened his mouth to say something as everyone else started a fresh round of hooting, but thought better of it and stalked away toward the bunkroom and another shower.  A moment later, Arwyn’s shorts came flying through the door, killing us again. 

I loved living with these guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any comments (only good ones, please:)? Kudos? Have a great one!


	9. Gimme Cake And Shut Jay Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn works on Lloyd. One of the secrets on the 'Bounty' is revealed to Arwyn. The crew visits a coffee shop in NC where the green-eyed monster takes over. Jay talks in his sleep.

****Arwyn’s POV**

I’m sorry, but that was hilarious!  I hated to be laughing at my new teammate’s humiliation, but it was funny, and even his sister was enjoying it, so, when in Rome…

To Kai’s credit, I have to admit that he cut quite an impressive, well-sculpted figure, even covered with wet flour.  He filled out my shorts nicely, too, although I wished the Italian had been the one in them, but I digress…

After that incident, the overall mood on the _Bounty_ seemed to lighten a bit for a while, and the intensity of my training eased somewhat.  I started having breakthroughs more quickly.  Within the first two weeks, I had figured out Spinjitzu and gotten the hang of activating all of my elements to some degree.  Happily, I was also getting hit a whole lot less.

On the fourth day, Sensei started summoning me to his quarters every day for tea, meditation, and tai chi.  Curiously, he also questioned me in depth about my upbringing, my parents, and all the other details of my history.  Spending time with him was very pleasant, and I looked forward to it each day. 

However, I was also trying to scratch out time to get Cole alone, which was harder than I expected.  If one or both of us wasn’t training, cooking, doing chores, or being otherwise occupied by another of the _Bounty’s_ residents, we were sleeping.

I couldn’t understand how Nya and Jay found any opportunities to be alone around here.  I guess that’s why they got caught making out in the game room a lot.  And the training rooms.  And the bridge.  Anyhoo…

After the moment Cole and I had had in the infirmary when I finished with his shoulder, I decided to try to get his attention as best I could, to get under his skin, even if I couldn’t be alone with him. 

I didn’t think I looked so bad in tight shirts and yoga pants, so I wore that in the evenings when we had a little time to gather in the game room.  When we went running, I wore my running tights and fitted shirt.  And stayed ahead of him.

I touched him in small ways whenever I could, like while passing things at mealtimes, leaning in to show him a newspaper article, when sitting by him during instruction in the bridge, and, of course, during training sessions.  Usually his only reaction was to cut his eyes toward me, but at least I knew he had noticed.

Every night before I fell into my bed, I was sure to tell him ‘good night’ as he retreated to the bunkroom, wishing mine could be the last face he saw before he fell asleep and the first he saw upon waking. 

I was so besotted that I even considered setting my clock to wake me in the middle of the night just to see if he might show up on the deck to be with me.  And I _hate_ waking up in the middle of the night.

Yes, I had it bad for him, and it was getting worse by the day.

Once in a while I thought about something other than Cole.  I’d call my parents in Miyagi and lie to them about still being in Ninjago City and taking a hiatus from my job to teach more self-defense.  I’d tell them the truth eventually, but they worried so much about me that this was easier on all of us for now.

I’d call Sofiya to share news with her and warn her what to do if my parents showed up at my old apartment.  However, I could have done all that through Zane, who made the trip into Ninjago City nearly every evening to see her.  At least _someone_ was happily dating.

And speaking of Zane…One evening he and Cole decided the three of us needed to have a little discussion in the infirmary.  With the door closed.  I got a quick explanation about how Zane was special and what nindroids were.  At first I laughed at them, folded my arms in front of me, and said, “Prove it.” 

Zane proceeded to strip to the waist, earning Cole a startled look from me, and popped open the little door in his chest.  I probably had a really stupefied look on my face when I breathed, “Oh.  Sofiya.”  Zane shrugged with a happy smile and said she knew and was fine with it. 

**_What?!_**   I _lived_ with the nindroid, and he told my friend before he bothered to tell _me_?!  I don’t care what he was doing with her, I should have known first.  And _she_ hadn’t told me, either!  I didn’t like being last in on a secret.  However, that explained a lot of things about him.

I was also considering ways to get Lloyd to accept me.  One day when I was in between training instructors, I spotted him on the main deck moping around alone on the starboard railing.  He and Kai had had a half-hearted Spinjitzu training session that had produced less-than-spectacular results, so I decided to take a chance and intrude on his bad mood. 

Approaching him cautiously, and expecting rejection, I leaned against the deck railing and looked out over the glaring Sea of Sand.  I opened with, “Today’s just not the day to get a good lesson out of Kai, is it?” With his head resting on his folded arms on the railing, he didn’t answer, but he didn’t walk away or tell me to shut up, either.  I had to take a different angle.

“You know, being that Lord Garmadon is your dad, and you’re the grandson of the First Master of Spinjitzu, you might have a little elemental control in you.”  I saw I had kindled something in him when he raised his head to look at me.  “Has anyone ever tried to see if you could use an element?”  He shook his head in denial.

“Wanna give it a shot?” I suggested with raised eyebrows. 

He eyed me with a small amount of suspicion.  “You’d try to teach me to use an element?” 

“Well, I know I’m not the best teacher for it,” I admitted, “but we could try.  There could be a spark inside you that just needs to be ignited.” 

He didn’t hesitate.  “I’d like that.” 

I pushed off of the railing and motioned for him to follow.  “Let’s go up on the bridge roof just for the heck of it.  No one’ll bother us there.”

The wind whipped my hair as we reached the top of the bridge.  We sat quietly a moment under the cloudy sky while I thought of the various ways the guys were trying to teach me to summon the elements.  I had found the use of emotions to be most effective.  

“We’ll start with the easy one—fire.  I want you to pull up times in your past when you’ve been angry or frustrated and impatient.  Maybe like when you got stuck at Darkley’s or when you got teased and bullied there.”

“Or when the Serpentine betrayed me?” he questioned with an irritated edge to his voice.

“Anything,” I answered quickly.  “Just think about how it feels to be angry and frustrated, and concentrate on it.  Pretend it’s hot and bright like fire, and it’s deep in your belly.  Then it builds and comes up to your chest, along your arm, and out of your palm as a flame.”

Lloyd closed his eyes and sat with his hands palm-up in his lap, not making a sound for several minutes.  I was wondering if he had fallen asleep when a tiny flame suddenly flickered between his hands. 

His eyes flew open and an excited grin was on his face as he realized what had happened.  I enthusiastically cheered my praise.  Within another few minutes, he was able to produce a small flame on command.

Probably following the sound of my encouraging cries, Cole poked his head over the edge of the bridge’s roof.  “Jay’s been looking all over for you to start his instruction, Arwyn,” he said as he looked between the two of us.  “What’s going on up here?”

Without answering him, I addressed Lloyd.  “Think you’re ready to show someone your new power?”  He nodded with a confidence he had not shown earlier.  “Who do you want to be the first?” 

Beaming, he looked at Cole who eagerly accepted the nonverbal invitation and swung himself up to land on the roof, parking himself next to me with a smile, his knee touching mine.  He was appropriately supportive of Lloyd’s demonstration.

From that afternoon on, Lloyd joined me in all of my elemental lessons with the guys, slowly discovering and developing a fledgling command of each element.  Over time, he was less guarded with me and much friendlier.  The only problem with that was that he was often Cole’s shadow, and now he no longer disappeared when I came around.  I swear I think Sensei was using him as a chaperon.

After about two weeks of training, Sensei finally gave us all a free afternoon which we six young adults used to run into Ninjago City.  In civilian clothing, we goofed off and ran a couple of errands, finally stopping in at a coffee shop for snacks where Sofiya met us during her break between yoga classes.

Finding seats in the back surrounding a coffee table, Jay, Nya, and Kai took the couch.  Cole sat in an armchair across from them, with Zane and Sofiya cuddling in a loveseat to his left.  I sat on his right in another armchair across from the snuggly couple.

Seeing the pair across from me in the loveseat caused a small pang of longing in my heart, but I was happy for them.  It also occurred to me uneasily that there were two people in this group who knew about my feelings for Cole. 

Although I knew Sofiya wouldn’t blab to Zane, since she hadn’t even told _me_ she knew about the nindroid thing, I still wasn’t so sure about the chattier one.  I stayed on edge about him.

We settled down to a discussion about the menu.  Cole and I finally agreed to share a slab of chocolate cake with our drinks, since I had a craving, but didn’t want to stuff myself with such a huge piece.

To my great annoyance, our server, a pretty, petite, well-endowed blonde in tight, low-cut clothing, paid extra attention to our team leader when she came to take our orders, chatting and leaning in close to him like she was trying to get him to notice her cleavage.  Her behavior brought up a topic of conversation after she left.

Leaning back against the couch cushions, Kai sighed and looked pointedly at Cole.  “You know, Cole, there are two things that really irritate me about you,” he began abruptly, causing everyone to tense visibly.  His teammate gave him a wary look across the coffee table, as though he was afraid of what might come out of Kai’s mouth next.

“Number one,” Kai continued coolly, “every time we go someplace, you always have some girl throwing herself at you, which I don’t understand when I’m sitting here, too.  And, number two, you never take her up on it, which I also can’t begin to understand.  Why is that?”  He gave Cole an exaggerated curious expression.  I was curious, also.

Obviously embarrassed and a little annoyed by the first comment, Cole drilled the fire ninja with a sharp look and protested, “Women are _not_ always throwing themselves at me—”

“Well, maybe only _half_ the time, then,” Kai revised with a shrug.  “But I still don’t understand it.”

To my surprise, Sofiya raised her hand with a sly smile.  “I’ll bet I can explain the first part, although only Cole can answer the other.”  Everyone turned to her with interest.  She pursed her lips and visually surveyed the apprehensive ninja in his well-fitted, black henley and distressed jeans a moment before answering.

“He’s got a dark, brooding, Roman look, a head of luscious hair, and he’s totally ripped.  Some might call him ‘yummy’,” she said matter-of-factly with a grin at me.

To Kai she added, “Not that you aren’t, but Cole might have an edge.”  Fixing the ill-at-ease hunk with a look, she declared, “In fact, if you said something to that waitress in Italian, she would most likely instantly melt all over you.”

Cole looked away from her and laughed nervously, glancing briefly at me, his cheeks turning a dusty pink.  “That would so _not_ happen!” 

To my dismay, Sofiya smiled challengingly.  “Want to prove me wrong?” she prodded.  “I dare you to try it.”  I looked hard at her, thinking, _What the hell are you doing?_

Jay shot me a look of alarm, then said to Sofiya uncertainly, “Um, are you sure you want him to do that?” 

Sofiya just repeated to Cole, “I dare you.”  Interestingly, Nya was eyeing Cole with some disquiet.

Zane looked askance at his girlfriend, asking, “And what am I?”  Kissing his neck, she said, “Baby, you _know_ where you rank!”

A moment later, the slutty waitress came up and began to serve everyone their drinks and snacks.  She got to Cole last, of course, again leaning in very close to him as she did so.  I was beginning to simmer and praying he would not accept Sofiya’s challenge.  But he just _had_ to try to disprove her theory. 

Taking the cup and saucer she offered him, Cole took a deep breath and said hesitantly, _“Grazie per il caffe` e torte, signorina.”_

The tart’s face lit up in a huge smile, and she flirtatiously touched his shoulder while gushing, “Oh, so cool!  _Lei sa Italiano!  Anch’io!”_  

_Crap!_ I screamed mentally _.  She speaks Italian?_  

She glanced at me fleetingly before turning her greedy gaze back to Cole with an enticing smile.  “I bet your girlfriend _loves_ to hear you speak to her like that.”  He stared at her, dumbstruck.

Kai grinned deviously with a raised eyebrow and spoke up.  “Oh, she’s not _his_ girlfriend,” he informed her, pointing to himself with a thumb.  “She’s _mine_.”  He looked at me suggestively and winked.

Jay and Nya almost spit out their cappuccinos, apparently at Kai’s audacity, and Cole glared from across the small table at his scheming brother.  I sat stiffly with a poker face, looking straight at Zane and Sofiya as she giggled guiltily and mouthed ‘I’m sorry’.  I avoided looking at Cole or Kai at all.

“ _Really?_   Then maybe you could use this,” she said while quickly scribbling something on a card she had pulled out of her pocket.  She slipped it onto Cole’s saucer.  “I’ll be leaving here in a couple of hours.  Maybe I’ll see you later, and we can practice our Italian,” were the words I could just make out that she breathed near his reddened ear before going to her next station. 

Removing the card from his saucer, Cole cast a fretful glance my way, which I pretended not to see.  I was studying my mocha, steaming quietly in my chair, trying not to act like I cared, and wishing Sofiya had not opened her big mouth.  Everyone else was snickering.

The blushing man leaned across the oval table towards Kai and hissed in indignation, “Why did you tell her Arwyn was _your_ girlfriend?  Thanks a lot for the help avoiding the blonde, buddy!  Here!” he flipped the card into Kai’s lap.  “Maybe _you_ would like her number!”

Smirking with amusement at Cole’s irritation, Kai caught the card and leaned closer to his brother.  “Well, Arwyn’s not _your_ girlfriend, so why couldn’t I tell the waitress she’s mine?  Besides,” he sat back on the couch.  “This was an experiment, but you should call her.  You haven’t had a date in, what _, forever_?  And thanks,” he tossed the card back at Cole.  “But I’m not taking your cast-offs!”

_Please don’t keep that, please don’t keep that, please don’t keep that!_

Sofiya attempted to make amends.  “I’m sorry, Cole,” she offered contritely.  “I was just messing with you.  I didn’t think she would be quite so…receptive.”  She gave me an ‘oops’, which I answered with only a half-joking glare.

Trying to defuse the current situation, Nya glanced at me, then addressed Cole.  “So with all the chances you get, why _don’t_ you ask any of those women out?”

Cole squirmed in his seat, not looking in my direction, obviously uncomfortable with the subject.  He finally chose to answer Nya with a sigh.  “They just don’t seem worth my time.  I’m not really looking for what they’re offering.”

Kai rolled his eyes.  “So what in the world _are_ you looking for, bro?” he asked, receiving an elbow in the ribs from Nya.  He glared at her in annoyance.

“Cake,” replied Cole decisively.  Leaning in my direction, he smiled and asked lightheartedly, “Ready to split that small mountain you’ve got, Arwyn?”

I snapped up to attention at the mention of my name and handed him the plate.  “You can start on it.  Just leave me a little.”

Jay piped up with a grin, thinking, I suppose, that he would be helping the situation.  “Heh!  A woman who’ll let you eat her ‘cake’ _and_ finish first!  You can’t ask for better than that, Co—ooph!”  He shot a pained expression at Nya as she withdrew her elbow from his side for his innuendo.

Cole grimaced and shook his head at Jay’s remark while he lifted the fork from the plate.  I concealed a laugh behind my mug of mocha.

When we were ready to leave, the tramp came by to get our plates and cups, and, as the rest of our group headed to the cashier, I hung back and watched her inspect Cole’s broad shoulders and tight backside. 

She was clearing the dishes from the coffee table, so I good-naturedly handed her my cake plate, which she immediately dropped with an involuntary jerk of her hand and a cry of pain. 

As she shook her hand with a pained expression, as though to cool it, looking at me in a confused, but accusatory way, I said, “Oh, I’m sorry.  Was that a little warm?”  Smiling spitefully, I added, _“Ciao!”_ and turned away to join the others, not feeling the least bit repentant.

I also noted with relief that her card had stayed on the table.

****Cole’s POV**

I honestly don't know what Sofiya or I was thinking by pulling that in the coffee shop.  I guess we were both trying to prove a point, and it pretty much backfired in my face. 

I didn't need Kai bringing that up in front of Arwyn, either.  It made me sound like a player or something.  I was hoping she wasn't going to act differently with me afterwards.  But she actually seemed to be in a pretty good mood when we left there, so I guess it was all good.

After that scene, I pondered Kai's question about what I was looking for in a woman when I apparently could have my pick of several. The fact remained that the one I truly wanted, I felt I didn't deserve, and Sensei was telling me I couldn't have.  Kinda ironic.

As I fell asleep later that night, I was also wondering if I shouldn’t repay Kai for the ‘help’ he had given me with the waitress.

I woke slowly in the middle of the night to Jay’s mumbling in the bunk above me.  This wasn’t unusual as he could talk nonstop if you let him, including in his sleep, as he was now doing.  Most nights I’d just kick the underside of his bunk which would wake him enough to shut him up. 

This time I tried to ignore it, rolling onto my belly and covering my head with my pillow.  Although I could still hear his murmuring a little, I could probably have gone back to sleep…if I hadn’t heard him say Arwyn’s name.

My head shot up, sending the pillow flying to the floor.  My heart pounding, I lay still, straining to hear and staring into the semi-darkness as Jay continued to mutter.  After a couple of minutes, his soft chattering became clearer, and I could make out a few phrases. 

“Arwyn…Arwyn, come on…have to tell…”  I held my breath.  “…can’t hold it much longer…”  What the FRICK?!  Why was he dreaming about _her_ , and what was he talking about?!

As he continued to mumble her name, my mind started racing as I started thinking of some of the times I knew he had been around her and how he had acted afterward.  Like when he was very evasive during my questioning after he had spent the day guarding her.  What had they done all day together?

He took her alone to the infirmary a couple of days later.  At that time I had heard him say ‘You need to tell him’ when I was walking in there.  She had said it was about stocking the place, but he had seemed kinda nervous when he saw me.

On her first training day, when we had all gone running together to check Arwyn’s endurance, he and Kai had ogled her in her running outfit of a fitted long-sleeved shirt and tights.  He had then stayed up with her and Zane, goofing off with her the whole way.  Kai and I had been stuck behind them, and although the view was awfully nice, I didn’t like not being in the lead. 

After that, she was distracted by his showing-off on the deck right before I coldcocked her.  He had taken advantage of that and bounded immediately to her aid, whisking her to the kitchen to fuss over her.  Now he was crooning her name in his sleep?!  I hadn’t thought _Jay_ would be a rival.

Irritated, I rolled over and sat up in my bed as Kai did the same.  From his bunk above Zane’s, he hissed to me crossly, “Is he talking about _Arwyn_?!”

I didn’t answer as I rose from my bunk with a frown and stood facing Jay’s sleeping form on the upper berth with my hands on my hips, waiting for more.  “…have to tell him…Arwyn…” 

Kai slid down from his bunk, landing noiselessly on the wooden floor and coming to stand beside me in a red T-shirt and boxers that actually fit him.  We both glared at the unconscious lightning ninja. 

In his white pajamas, Zane rose from his bed, sensing the rising irritation from Kai and me, and covertly whispered, “His sleep talking could be completely innocuous, but do not wake him.  I may be able to capture something just in case…” 

Kai was getting more irate as Jay jabbered on, and he wasn’t alone.  Finally leaning in near Jay’s ear, he softly asked from between gritted teeth, “What about _Nya_?”  There was a pause in the monologue before Jay responded, “…she doesn’t matter…doesn’t need to know…”  _Oh, he didn’t_ …

Kai reached upward, aiming for Jay’s throat, but I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back, warning him urgently, “Not yet!  He might not be done!”

Putting his face close to mine, he angrily whispered back, “Oh, he’s done!  He’s talking like he’s cheating on Nya, so I get to kill him if he is!”  I nodded, thinking, _We might have to flip a coin for that honor_ , and we turned back to listen to what else the Flash had to say. 

We didn’t have to wait long.  With a smile on his sleeping face, Jay said, “…please, Arwyn…I want you to…let me do it…”  We had both heard enough.  I grabbed him first, pulling him swiftly from the top bunk by his shoulders while Kai had his ankles.  He went down to the floor with a thud.

Jolted awake, with the breath knocked out of him, Jay lay on his back on the floor for a moment before sitting up in the dimness and looking around in confusion.  Noticing us, he looked up at Kai and me as we stood scowling over him.  “Wh-whassup, guys?” he asked, bleary-eyed. 

Lloyd rolled over on his small cot on the far side of the room, sleepily rubbing his eyes and asking, “What’s going on?”  I glanced up at him and ordered curtly, “Don’t worry about us, Lloyd.  Go back to sleep.”

“Yeah, right.  Like I could with all this noise,” he retorted before sitting up to take in the show.  Already annoyed, Kai looked over at him with knitted brows and said, “Remind me again why he’s even in here with us?”  I rolled my eyes.  “Because he didn’t want to be alone.  Get back to the program here!”

Standing up between the two sets of beds in his blue T-shirt and pajama pants, Jay repeated, “What’s up?” as he faced Kai and me.

Zane walked to the door and flipped the light switch as I stepped toward Jay, causing him to take a nervous step backward.  “You’re talking about Arwyn in your sleep, Jay,” I said unsmiling in a low, tense voice.  “What’s going on between you two that you need to tell someone something?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!  Me t-talking about _her_ —” Jay stammered in denial.

“Play it back, Zane,” Kai instructed the ice ninja irritably.  Zane dutifully replayed his digital recording of Jay’s last few utterances up to the thud when he was rudely pulled from his bed.

Blanching, Jay exclaimed, “I swear, there’s nothing to talk about, _nothing_!”

“Don’t give us that!  Are you cheating on Nya?!” Kai demanded hotly, forcing Jay to take another step back as he leaned toward him.

Towering over him, I pressed a little more from his other side.  “What are you hiding, Jay?  What’s your secret?”  I could tell from the look on his face, a little more of this, and we could probably have him spilling his guts.

“You had better _not_ hurt Nya!” yelled Kai as he pointed in Jay’s face.

The Master of Lightning looked about ready to freak as he backed away from the two of us, cornering himself against the wall between the pair of bunk beds.  Holding both hands up in a defensive pose, he looked at me, insisting, “I can’t say!”  To Kai, he said, “And I’m not!”  Okay, this was when torture would come in handy.

I didn’t have the patience for this at this hour.  I reached out and grabbed Jay by the shirt, pulling him out of the corner and into the middle of the room where Kai and I could get at him better.  I glimpsed Zane in my peripheral vision about to intervene if we got physical.

Nevertheless, I went on.  “Tell us before this gets ugly, Jay,” I warned him without letting go of the shirt. 

“I can’t!  I swore I wouldn’t! …Well, I didn’t actually _swear,_ but she’ll kill me if I tell!  I’m not going to tell!” he yammered away, wild-eyed and obviously running out of options. 

Kai eased closer with a low growl, and I put my hand on his chest to hold him back.  “Who are you more concerned about, Jay?  Arwyn?”  I cocked an eyebrow.  “Or Kai?”  I wasn’t actually gonna let the firebrand loose on him, but I needed some leverage.

Jay looked at Kai with uneasy determination and maintained his innocence.  “I’M NOT CHEATING ON NYA!  This is not _my_ secret!”  He could see we weren’t buying it.  Taking a breath, he looked at me with resignation.  “Okay, Cole…Arwyn is—”

BAM!  The bunkroom door opened suddenly and slammed against the wall, causing us all to start a little. 

**_“JAY!”_**   Arwyn stood frowning in the doorway wearing a camisole top and sleep boxers with her legs braced apart, one hand on the door, the other on the opposite doorjamb.  “What is going on in here?!” she asked a little loudly. 

_Well, crap.  This looks great_ , I thought derisively, looking back at Jay who seemed thankful that the cavalry had arrived.  I still had a grip on the front of his T-shirt, so I let go of that and nonchalantly brushed the creases out of it while I looked back at her, saying, “Nothing.  Nothing at all.  What makes you say that?”

She didn’t change her stance as she answered me more calmly.  “Your elements bombarded me awake, and then I hear you yelling from down the hall.  At two in the morning.”  Easing up, she strode into the room, coming to stop next to Jay and me and crossing her arms, continuing sarcastically.  “Then I find Jay about to get thrashed, so naturally, I’m a little curious.”  Turning to Jay, she asked, “So, what’s up?”

Laughing a little nervously, he mimicked me, “Nothing.  Nothing at all!”

Everyone in the room sheepishly avoided eye contact with her as Arwyn surveyed the place, nodded a little, then let her gaze rest on Lloyd on his cot.  “And _this_ is how they teach you to resolve issues?” she asked him with a look of disapproval.  He looked at me and shrugged.

Apparently dismissing the idea of us being more civilized, she took Jay’s elbow and steered him toward the door, saying, “May I see you outside for a moment?”  He looked a little uncomfortable, but followed her out, most likely just to get away from Kai and me. 

She ducked back in to the grab the door handle and pull the door closed behind them, giving all of us a stern look as she did so.

Kai, Zane, and I stood looking at each other in silence for a moment, a little humbled by our attack on a sleeping teammate.  I would rather have been caught duct-taping him to his bed than accosting him for talking during a dream. 

I was wondering what was going on in the hallway when Kai asked Zane, “Do you think he was telling the truth?  About Nya?”

Zane nodded with certainty.  “Indeed.  I did not sense anything other than the truth from him.”  He paused with a small smile.  “That and consternation.”

“What do you think about the other thing he said?”  I inquired, hoping he could shed some light on that.

“Again, I sensed only the truth,” remarked Zane.  “Apparently she has divulged some kind of information to him.”

What could she possibly have shared with Jay that she had failed to tell me the night I spent with her at her apartment?  We had talked about so many things in our lives, in our histories, about our hopes and dreams.  What did Jay know that she wouldn’t share with me?

Lloyd was settling back down on his cot, realizing the action was dying down.  Kai climbed back onto his bunk, saying, “Well, five-thirty comes early, guys.  I’m going back to sleep.”

Zane nodded agreement, shutting off the light and sliding back under his covers.  I was left standing in the middle of the room for a moment, torn between going out to check on them or at least listening at the door.  I finally decided to get back into bed instead of acting like an obsessed stalker.

A few minutes later, after Kai’s snoring had started up, Jay crept quietly into the room, and climbed onto his bunk.  He quickly settled down and slept the rest of the night without making a sound. 

I know, because I didn’t. 

 

_[[Grazie per il caffe` e torte, signorina_ (thank you for the coffee and cake, miss)

_Lei sa Italiano_ (you know Italian)

_Anch’io_ (I do, too)

_Ciao_ (goodbye)]]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked, let me know! I'd love to hear it! XD


	10. I'm Not Telling, So Take That!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay almost let Arwyn's cat out of the bag, and now Cole's consumed with curiosity and jealous of Jay. Verbal sparring between Arwyn and Cole leads to real sparring with a humbling outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm...if you've read this far, it must be kinda decent, so please leave a comment or kudos! *puppy-dog eyes* Enjoy! XD

****Arwyn’s POV**

Dragging Jay into the corridor by my bedroom, I pushed him firmly against the wall, and, with an edge to my voice and my hands on my hips, quietly started on him.  “ _What_ was going _on_ in there?”

When he opened his mouth to speak, I poked a finger in his chest.  “And don’t say ‘nothing’ when everybody’s up grappling at two AM, and I heard you say my name before I opened the door!” 

Reluctantly, he looked up at me with a sigh and spoke in hushed tones.  “I said your name in my sleep, and Kai and Cole flew off the handle.  Kai thinks I’m after you and cheating on Nya!  Cole thinks…hell, I never know _what_ Cole’s thinking, but he was definitely _not_ happy!”  He regarded me with frustration.  “I’m about to get my _butt_ kicked over your secret, Arwyn!”

When he took a breath, I nervously tried to get more details out of him.  “What _exactly_ did they hear you say?”  _Please don’t have told him!_

“Just that you needed to tell someone something.  Which you do!” he stressed.  Brightening with a grin, he continued, “But even in my sleep, I kept the secret.  How crazy is that?”

“Is this a first?  Kudos for you,” I praised unenthusiastically, but I was relieved that he hadn’t blabbed it all.

“This is getting serious, Arwyn,” he said softly, losing the smile.  “I don’t know if I can do this much longer if those two are on my back.”

“Seriously, Jay?  What do you want me to tell him?  ‘Cole, Jay’s health is in danger for secret-keeping, so I have to confess that I’ve been crazy in love with you since the day we met’?”  I dramatically waved my arms while I whispered.  _Did I just say ‘in love’?  …Yes, I did._

He looked at me with a straight face and shrugged.  “Sure, why not?”

“Give it up, Jay.  I’m not talking before he does,” I shot back with determination.  

“Really?  Hmmm…”  He assumed a thoughtful expression, making me more nervous.

“What?” I asked uneasily.

“Eh, just wondering what it might take to get Cole to confess to something like that,” he said, rubbing the back of his head.  “And why he’s clamming up to begin with.”

“He has to feel it to confess it,” I sighed resignedly, with a hand on my door.

Jay gave a short, quiet laugh.  “Oh, he feels something alright!  I didn’t nearly get creamed just now for nothing!”

Opening my bedroom door, I started to walk inside, but stopped a moment.  “I’d really like to think that, Jay, but I need something concrete.  Go back to bed, and please don’t give me away.”

“I’ll do my best,” he yawned as he turned toward the dark bunkroom.

Crawling back into bed, I started thinking about the energy I was putting into just trying to maintain this secret.  Yes, I was tired of fighting this battle, but could I risk opening myself up and getting burned, then having to live with the guy?

Although he sometimes acted distant and aloof with me, when I examined the overall evidence, I got more hopeful that Jay was correct, and Cole really did have feelings for me. 

He didn’t have to tell me so much about himself like he did that first night I knew him or meet me on the deck or hold me when I asked him to do so. 

Then there was his attack on Jin Kita, which I would like to think was more than just protective gallantry, and his reaction to Kai kissing me.  Had an unspoken rule been broken there, or was he jealous? 

Besides that, was the way he had so gently touched my face in the infirmary, while his eyes had held what seemed to be an intense, aching hunger, mirroring what I was feeling constantly. 

If I really thought about it, there were dozens of little things-looks, remarks, touches-throughout each day that _could_ be indications that he wanted me.  And, if so, _why_ would he _not_ just _tell_ me?!  What was wrong with me?

What _was_ wrong with me?  I had just admitted to Jay something I had not yet admitted to _myself._ I did not have a crush on Cole.  I was not just physically attracted to him.  _I was in love with him._ I felt something for him ten times stronger than I’d _ever_ felt for Keiji.  Why was I denying it, denying myself? 

Why couldn’t I just do like Sofiya and put it all out there, then deal with it?  Of course, it helped her that Zane had blatantly put it all out there himself.  She didn’t have to guess how he was feeling.  He’d had no qualms about letting her know right away. 

That’s where my doubts came in.  If Cole felt the way I hoped he did, what was keeping him from telling me? 

Perhaps I needed to be more like Zane and just admit it to him? Maybe if I could get some time alone with him…

****Cole’s POV**

I met Arwyn in the kitchen at five-thirty since I knew she was in charge of breakfast this morning, and it might be the only time I could see her alone today.  

The first thing I wanted to do when I saw her was to greet her with the hungriest, deepest kiss of her life until we were both gasping for air, but I didn’t relish dealing with the consequences of possibly being caught doing that.  Especially by Sensei.

I was forced to choose the second item on my agenda, which was questioning her about Jay, but our initial conversation was casual as I helped her begin preparations for cheese omelets, toasted bagels, and fruit. 

She acted as though nothing had occurred in the middle of the night, and I tried to do the same until I couldn’t stand it anymore and had to bring it up while I started the coffee and tea pots.

“So what did Jay tell you about what happened earlier?” I asked, trying to sound relaxed.

“You were in the room with him, don’t you remember what happened?” she came back teasingly as she lifted an omelet from the pan and plated it.

Pressing my lips together, I thought, _She can’t just make this easy_.  Checking her out from the corner of my eye, I said, “I mean, I’m wondering if he told you the truth.”

We were working at separate counters, which were perpendicular to each other.  With her side to me and her hair down, I couldn’t see her face when she replied, “Why wouldn’t he?”

“Well, maybe he wouldn’t want to get in trouble with you over something,” I fished as I gathered utensils and paper towels for the table.

“You mean like saying my name in his sleep?” she inquired, acknowledging that she knew exactly what I was alluding to.  “Why would **_I_** want to hurt him over that?”

I paused in my task and reacted defensively to what sounded like an accusation.  “We weren’t actually gonna hurt Jay…”

“Glad to hear that, being that he didn’t do anything _wrong_ ,” she retorted as she scrambled the batch of eggs a little more energetically than necessary.

This wasn’t going the way I thought it would.  “Well, you know Kai.  He got a little upset with Jay talking about you and all,” I responded, hoping to minimize my part in that incident.  “He’s just afraid Nya’ll get hurt.”

“He wasn’t the one with a fistful of Jay, though, was he?”  Her response sounded like an interrogation.

“Um…I was mediating…” I fumbled as I buttered the bagel halves.  Why did I have the feeling I was losing control of this?

“I guess that’s why Zane was standing by ready to break things up, just in case your ‘arbitration’ was a failure?”  She still had her back to me as she scraped the egg mixture in the pan with her spatula.

I looked at her incredulously for a moment.  Did she miss _anything_ in that room this morning?  “Um…”  I needed to get this back on track.  “The real question is why is he was dreaming about you to begin with.”

“The human mind works in strange and mysterious ways,” was her smart-alecky answer while she added cheese to the cooking egg, still not facing me.  “We can’t control who or what we dream about.”

“Doubtless,” I admitted, thinking of a way to nail this one.  “But he fessed up to knowing something about you that you told him to keep to himself.”  I watched as her spine straightened and she paused in her work.   That hit the mark! 

“Did he omit _that_ tidbit of information?” I asked tauntingly, smiling triumphantly as I continued buttering.  “Maybe he didn’t want to alert you that he let the cat out of the bag.”

She kept her eye on the pan as she poured the next omelet.  “He did no such thing,” she replied coolly.  Turning to look me straight in the face, she smiled smugly.  “We wouldn’t be having this conversation if he had.”

Okay, I wasn’t expecting that.  “Maybe I’m just waiting for you to admit it openly,” I said, trying to recover my footing as I slid the bagels into the toaster oven.

She huffed a bit as she scraped the pan more.  “I seriously doubt it.” 

Now she had me even more concerned about what he knew if she expected me to react a certain way over it, but I tried to control that.  It was obvious that bluffing wasn’t going to work on her.  “You and I talked about a lot of things that first night.  What could you _not_ have told me that you told Jay?”

“I’m sure there’s something.  Just like I’m sure you didn’t tell me everything you could have, either,”  she countered smoothly.

I started to deny that, but there _were_ some things I had not disclosed.  Like some embarrassing stunts I pulled as a teenager or the fact that I was a twenty-two-year-old, Italian virgin.  I wasn’t sure she would see that as a good thing or not.  Maybe it was my male ego, but what if she thought there was something wrong with me?

There was also the other thing about how I was so crazy about her and thought about her constantly and dreamed about doing certain things with her most nights.  Thank God I wasn’t talking in _my_ sleep, I’d have to move Lloyd out of the bunkroom if that was the case.

“You know nearly everything about me,” I assured her as I leaned back against the counter. 

“And you know everything about me that you need to know right _now_ ,” she stated frankly with a confident smile, sliding the last omelet onto the stack on the platter.

‘Right now’?  I didn’t like the sound of that.  “I should know everything _now,_ ” I asserted impatiently.  I was beginning to hear stirring in the dining area and knew we’d soon be interrupted.

Arwyn looked at me with an indignant frown.  “You’re not entitled to know everything about everybody around here!”

 _Oh, gimme a break!_   “As the leader of this team, I need to know everything that might compromise the integrity of the team.”  I knew I was grasping at straws here, but I was running out of time!

“I don’t think knowledge of my information would be considered a breach in the team’s security!” she snapped, evidently growing annoyed with my insinuations.  She turned on her heel toward the exit to the dining room, adding sharply, “You’re scorching the bagels!” as she marched out.

During breakfast, Arwyn and I made nice and smiled, keeping leery eyes on each other the whole time.  The one time I made eye contact with Jay, she gave me a withering look, so I smiled and waved sweetly at him, which seemed to alarm him a bit.  I hadn’t meant to do that.

I was thoroughly aggravated that she resisted revealing whatever Jay knew, and I’m sure she was ticked off with me for being so insistent about wanting to know.  Well, I wasn’t done with her yet.

I wasn’t able to get at her again later in the morning, since Jay and Kai were training her at separate times after our morning run.  Finally, she was mine again in the afternoon for training with the bo staff, during which I now insisted she wear the kendo helmet.

It was a warm, sunny day, and while she and I were getting ready to train on the main deck, the rest of the team was doing other exercises nearby.  Lloyd, Nya, and Sensei were strolling in and out of the bridge on the quarterdeck overhead, enjoying the pleasant weather.  There was no one within earshot of the two of us.

We were going to work on routine techniques I had covered with her before, then do a little sparring, but first I wanted to get back to our conversation in the kitchen.  “So, what would you like to tell me that Jay won’t?” I began offhandedly.

“Not a thing,” was her curt reply as she warmed up with her bo by doing a frontal spin on her wrists, then passing it around her back.  At least she smiled when she said it.

I sighed as I did figure-eights to loosen up with my staff.  “You know that you can tell me anything, and it’ll remain a secret, and I won’t be at all judgmental,” I promised her, hoping to remind her of our rapport as confidants. 

She spun her bo overhead, bringing it down and under her arm for a headshot.  “I know that, Valerio,” she said confidently.

I winced slightly at her use of my first name out in the open, looking quickly left and right, although I knew no one else could hear it.  “Then why won’t you tell me?” I asked, hoping I didn’t sound like I was pleading.  I wasn’t quite that desperate.  Yet.

She flashed me an obstinate look.  “Because I’m not ready to.”  Stopping her spinning, she demanded, “Let’s get on with the training!” 

“Fine!”  I returned.  “We’ll get down to business, if that’s what you want.”  I pulled my mask up and jumped immediately from warming up to sparring, skipping the practice maneuvers.  If she wanted to train, we’d train!

As I went on the offensive against her, she hesitated briefly, but quickly started to improvise by using the defensive moves I’d been teaching her.  For a while, she was doing fairly well, but after a few minutes she started backing up a little every time I struck her staff forcefully. 

Granted, I was probably hitting her with about a ton of pressure, but she _was_ the Green Ninja and getting almost as strong as I was, so she should have been able to handle it better.

“Stand your ground firmly!” I instructed her after coming at her with a particularly fierce strike.  “Your enemy will use your retreat to his advantage!”  She glared at me while lunging forward for a stab.  

We continued to spar, and she continued to back up each time our staffs connected.

I saw it coming long before she backed herself against the quarterdeck wall, and, for some reason, thought I could teach her a good lesson about not doing that again.  When she was a couple of feet from it, I lunged forward with the staff in both hands, aiming to trap her.

She brought her staff up to block, managing to stop my bo, but found herself caught against the wall with her own bo across her upper chest as mine pressed hard against it.

When she realized what she’d done, Arwyn’s look of dismay and uncertainty through the bars of the kendo helmet made me sneer.  “I _told_ you to stand firm!” I chided her roughly.  “Now what are you gonna do?”  Her confidence wavered as she fought against me and tried to decide how to move next. 

During the lull, the sudden awareness of how close we stood to one another struck me.  Our bodies nearly touching, we were sharing the same breath as we recovered from the exertion of sparring.  I caught a fleeting look in her eyes that told me she was acutely aware of this, also.

My mind was about to wander into forbidden territory when I was alerted by a look of determination that crossed her face.  I felt her shift her weight to her left leg, probably preparing to apply a self-defense technique on me that I would sincerely regret, even if I deserved it.

I quickly refocused and stepped even closer to her, jamming my left boot between hers, and placing my right one outside of her left, stopping her from completing the move.  With our knees and thighs now touching, I was dangerously close to being driven to distraction as I kept her restrained with the bo, waiting for her to try another move or concede defeat.

Concentrating on the training maneuver was a near impossible task for me as Arwyn struggled against my bo, but somehow I managed to stay in the role of instructor.  “You _can’t_ let this happen in battle,” I scolded down into her ear as she grimaced and strained harder against my staff with her own, in an effort to get it off of her shoulders.  “What’ll you do then?”

She suddenly set her jaw and narrowed her eyes, crying, _“This!”_ as she wrapped her right leg around the back of my left knee and pulled, causing my leg to collapse. 

At the same time, she thrust all of her power and weight onto my bo and upper body with her own, pushing me backward just enough.  I wasn’t expecting _more_ body contact and was caught totally off-guard as we started to go down. 

Eyes wide, I instinctively released my bo, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other arm flailing in an unsuccessful attempt to stop our fall.  We landed hard on my back, knocking the breath from me, our legs still entwined.  Most of her weight landed on her bo which had pinned me by the shoulders to the deck floor. 

But, to make matters worse, her left thigh had still managed to catch me in the area I had been trying to protect with my last footing adjustment.  _Oooh, epic failure_ …

Thankfully, I couldn’t see her look of victory with my eyelids clamped shut in pain.  As she disentangled herself and hopped off of me, I reflexively curled onto my side, hearing Lloyd’s annoying singsong chant from above me, “You got beat by a gir-rl!  You got beat by a gir-rl!”

I knew without looking that Sensei had taken it all in and was probably viewing me now with disapproval from next to Lloyd.  All of the laughter ringing in my ears came from the three traitors I called brothers who had witnessed the scuffle from the main deck when they should have been doing their own thing.

A shadow crossed my face as I held my breath in the fetal position, and I opened one eye to find my assailant kneeling by my side with a troubled expression.  “Cole, I’m sorry.  I really didn’t mean to hurt you like that,” she said sympathetically, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“It’s okay,” I gasped reassuringly from between clenched teeth as the pain slowly eased.  “It hurts…more knowing…you have a…secret with Jay.” 

Bull’s-eye.  Her eyes hardened, and she frowned before standing quickly, uttering _“Stronzo!”_ sharply, and walking away from me. 

I quickly opened both eyes in surprise, lifting my head to watch her as she stomped across the deck.  _When the heck did she learn to curse in Italian?_

 _[Stronzo_ =asshole]


	11. Revelations and Origins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little flirting leads to the discovery of a significant event in Arwyn's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YAY! I broke 200 hits!!...(And not a single kudo?)...*sigh*  
> Oh, well, still hope you enjoy what you read!

****Cole’s POV**

Surprisingly, I didn’t get called immediately to the principal’s office, uh, Sensei’s quarters, after the bo-staff fiasco, so after my shower and a quick raid of the kitchen, I found my way over to Arwyn’s bedroom about an hour before suppertime.

With a pink, plundered cupcake in hand, I knocked on her door, which was slightly ajar.  I could see her sitting cross-legged on the floor going through a box of books. 

She had pulled her hair back with a wide headband after showering and was wearing a snug, purple tank and jeans shorts.  I appreciated that outfit a lot more than her helmet and gi.  She just waved me in wordlessly, without looking up. 

I left the door open as I stepped inside, since I didn’t need Sensei getting on me about doing anything inappropriate in her bedroom.

After padding up to her bare-footedin my black lounging pants and T-shirt, I squatted beside her, pushing my damp bangs away from my brows, and held the cupcake within her field of vision.  She stopped the rummaging, gazed at it for a moment, then looked questioningly up at me.

“Strawberry,” I identified with raised brows and an upbeat grin.  “Zane just iced it.  He wasn’t very happy that I took it away from its family, but he added extra icing just for you.”  She continued to eye me.  “It’s a peace offering for my harassment today,” I explained briefly, adding, “Even though I kinda already paid my dues.”

Raising one eyebrow and a corner of her mouth, her eyes never leaving mine, she purred, “I hope nothing was permanently damaged.”

I smirked a bit when I returned her gaze steadily and answered with total certainty, “Oh, I guarantee...everything’s still in proper working order.”

As though to test my bold statement, she took the cupcake from me and ran a fingertip across the top of it.  Bringing the pink icing to her lips, she licked it in an agonizingly seductive manner, all the while intently watching my reaction, finally gently sucking the last bit from the tip of her finger.

I nearly lost my balance and put down a hand to catch myself.  My face was flushing, and my mouth was dry and involuntarily dropping open.  _Dear Lord, what is she doing…?!_  

I sat down hard on the floor across from her, snapping my mouth closed, trying to look anywhere else, yet unable to tear my eyes away, trying to think of something else, but I couldn’t.  _Green Ninja, Green Nin_ …

When she looked at me innocently and quietlyasked, “Would you like some?” I almost responded, ‘ ** _YES!_  ** Anything you’ll give me!,’ but I only managed to nod.

Splitting the cupcake in half, Arwyn offered me a share, which I took with a shaky hand.  Thankfully, she ate the rest less provocatively, otherwise, I would have had to leave the room to save us both.  

After the snack, when I thought I could speak without my voice cracking, I offered an apology.  “I’m sorry about bugging you so much today about your…secret.  I guess when you’re ready, you’ll let me know.”

All she returned was, “Uh, huh,” as she reached up and lightly rubbed the edge of my bottom lip with a thumb.  I know I had what she probably interpreted as a look of fear as I struggled against responding to her touch.  I wasn’t trusting myself much at the moment.

“Just a little icing there,” she explained.  Stopping her hand halfway to her mouth she asked, “Do you want it?”

_Oh, you have **no** **idea** **how** **much!**_ I mutely shook my head ‘no’ as I watched her shrug and lick her thumb before she resumed digging in the box between her knees.

The idea that she may be deliberately tormenting me flashed through my mind, but I tried to dismiss it as wishful thinking.  I had also tried to dismiss the way she had undressed me in the infirmary and the numerous ways she touched me and talked to me each day.  _Insert Green Ninja mantra here, and change the subject, Cole._

Leaning back against the chest of drawers, I took a calming breath, trying to regain control, slow my hyperventilating, and think of a new topic.  “That was a kinda interesting word you used on me on the deck,” I stated with a hint of a grin.  “Where’d you learn it?”  _Hopefully not some hot ex-boyfriend_.

She gave me a quick look from the corner of her eye.  “Sofiya hooked me up about a week ago with a friend of hers named Renata (re NAH teh) LeFeu who’s taught me some phrases over the phone a couple of times.  She thought that one might be useful in dealing with the likes of you guys.”  She looked thoughtful a moment.  “In fact, given her personality, I wonder if she and Kai…”

I chuckled at the thought of her setting up another ninja with another of her girlfriends.  “You know you could ask me if you want to learn Italian,”  I offered as I watched her flip through a scrapbook.

“I thought about that,” she admitted, closing the book and looking up at me, “But you’re never available, and I didn’t want to bother you.”

It really disappointed me that I was missing out on an excuse to spend time with her.  “I can be available, and it will definitely _not_ be a bother,” I insisted, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.

“You still owe me dance lessons, too,” she said with a little smile, reminding me of my vow during our first long conversation.

“Ooh, you’re right!” I remembered suddenly.  “I guess we got busy with other things.”  I paused thoughtfully a moment while Arwyn sat patiently.  Finally I said decidedly, “I’m going to teach you to tango.”

She sat back in surprise.  “Whoa, kinda putting the cart before the horse, aren’t you?  I can’t dance at all, but you’ll teach me to _tango_?”

I smiled reassuringly.  “It’s not that difficult.  If you can get Spinjitzu, which you have, then you can certainly tango.”

Looking unconvinced, she said hesitantly, “But isn’t the tango very…sensual?”

_And your little demonstration with the icing **wasn’t**?_   Controlling my regret, I agreed, “Yeah, but it’s a beautiful couple’s dance.  Unless you’d rather something modern for a single dancer.  What are you afraid of?”

“Only screwing up,” she confessed rather hurriedly.

I laughed lightly.  “There are no screw-ups in the tango.  If you screw up, we just get tangled up and tango on.”  _Which I’m counting on_.

For a moment, she considered my challenge while regarding me, finally accepting my offer.  “Okay.  If you have the patience and courage, then we can give it a try.”

"'Patience and courage'?  Hey, I train with Kai,” I said with all sincerity.  “How hard can teaching you to dance be?”  She smiled while pulling another book from the box which got my attention.  “What’s all of this?” I inquired curiously.

“Oh, just a bunch of my old scrapbooks and sketchbooks I’ve had since I was a kid,” she said with a hint of nostalgia. 

We’d been so busy, I’d almost forgotten that she’d told me she liked to sketch in pencil.  “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” I said with a cocked eyebrow and a rakish grin.

Arwyn looked quickly at me with slightly-scandalized amusement.  “Our _sketches,_ ” I clarified, holding up a finger.  _But, if you'd agree, it could be other things_ , I admitted to myself, following that up with the familiar mantra as penance. 

Smirking, she opened the book.  “Okay, just promise that you’ll only say good things about them,” she warned, apparently lacking confidence in her talent.

“Hey, I’m no Renoir, either, I just like to sketch.  Whether anyone else likes it or not doesn’t matter, only whether or not you like doing it, right?” I said encouragingly.

She nodded slowly, and, sitting side-by-side, we proceeded to look through a book of her more recent pencil drawings.  She seemed a little insecure about them at first, almost holding her breath as I quietly examined them, but she soon relaxed and explained each one as we flipped pages, and I made positive comments. 

When we finished the first book, I reached into the box for another sketchbook, but it happened to be a colorful scrapbook with ‘ARWYN RIE SAITO’ in bold letters on the cover.  “What’s this one?” I asked, waiting for an invitation to open it.

“It’s the baby book my mother put together,” she answered with a small smile.  “I haven’t looked at it in _years._ ”  Taking it from me, she opened it to the first page, on which was a large photo of a smiling baby girl of about one-and-a-half years with large, brown eyes and wavy, black hair.  “This was the first photo my parents took of me, the day after they got me.”

Touching the baby’s face on the photo, I spoke softly, “You were such a beautiful, sweet-looking baby.”

Seeming somewhat surprised at my remark, she looked at me and asked, “You think so?”

Smiling, I nodded while still looking at the photo.  “Of course, I think all babies are sweet,” I replied honestly.  “I’d like to have a couple one day.”  I hoped I wasn’t sounding like I was implying anything, I just really liked kids.  Of course, I _could_ have been implying.

She didn’t comment, just continued to contemplate me another moment while I avoided eye contact.  I was a little unsure of how she was interpreting that.

Reaching across the book in her lap, I turned the page in an effort to break the vaguely-awkward moment.  What was revealed caused us both to gasp a little in recognition and shock.  

There on the second page was a large rough sketch of a multi-petalled flower in a circle.  Sensei Wu’s flower of tranquility.  Under the sketch was a handwritten caption, which read, ‘ _embroidery on white jacket of the Angel who brought us Arwyn’_.

I turned my gaze quickly to Arwyn who held her hand to her mouth and was staring at the drawing with astonishment.  I felt about the same way she looked.  It must have truly been a few years since she’d looked at this book if she hadn’t recognized Sensei’s flower when she saw it on him.

I peered back at the book and saw that she pointed to the next page on which was a handwritten passage entitled, _‘Our Greatest Gift, by Sora Saito’._ “My mother wrote it.  Read it aloud,” whispered Arwyn with her eyes closed.  “I don’t remember everything.”  I did as she asked.

_“On the night of August eighth, Ryo and I received the greatest gift of all in the most unlikely of ways.”_

_“We were about to sit down to supper after the usual hard day of work when a knock came at the door.  There stood an older gentleman with a long, white beard and mustache, carrying a bamboo staff and a large pouch on his back.  He wore a white gi and a rice hat, and in his arms he held a bundle wrapped in a thin, cotton blanket.”_

_“He asked only for a little water.  When the bundle moved, he uncovered the most angelic face I have ever seen.  We immediately invited him in, and he accepted.  He sat at the table with us and at first refused our offer of supper, but we insisted.  I wanted him busy so I could hold the sleeping baby!”_

_“While he ate he asked about our home and our marriage, commenting on the fact that he saw no children here.  That’s when I started to cry.”_

_“He told us your name was Arwyn, and that your mother had recently died.  He didn’t give his name, but said that he was a teacher who was forced to travel and who lived in conditions unfit for a baby.”_

_“He said, ‘I love this child more than anything else, but because of that, I cannot keep her with me.’  He asked if we thought we could welcome you into our home.  It was unbelievable.  We said ‘ **Yes!’** right away!”_

_“He then took you from me to look at you one last time and kissed you gently.  Ryo and I told him he could visit whenever he wished, but that he could never take you back.  Through tear-filled eyes, he thanked us, and said, ‘I will come if I can and only if it is safe for her’.  He handed you back to me, warning us to keep you safe as there may be some who would want to see you harmed.  He then disappeared into the night.”_

Under the account was another note which I also read. _“Addendum:  Arwyn is now ten years old, and he has not yet returned.”_

When I had finished reading, I turned toward Arwyn who had opened her eyes and was staring straight ahead.  A tear was slowly making its way over her cheek.  I barely resisted the urge to kiss it away.

Her voice was a dejected whisper.  “He left me and never came back, not even once, to see me again.  How could he, if he loved me so much?”  She looked at me a little sadly for an answer I couldn’t provide.  “Who is he to me, and why hasn’t he told me about this?”

I put my right arm around her and pulled her against my chest.  She turned her face into the hollow of my shoulder, and I reached up to hold her head there with my left hand, resting my jaw against her hair. 

In an effort to console her, I said, “Only Sensei can give you the whole story.  But, he did say ‘only if it was safe for you’.  He probably didn’t come for you sooner because he needed to have the Masters trained to protect you before exposing you as the Green Ninja.”  I chuckled slightly.  “God knows it took at least one of us a long while before he thought we were ready.” 

From down the hall, we heard Zane call everyone to gather for supper.  I held her for another minute or so before grudgingly letting her sit up again.  Arwyn still seemed a little stunned, but she hadn’t cried any more. 

“Thank you,” she said softly, “for being here with me when I found that.”  She touched my right hand where it rested on my thigh, and I immediately turned my palm up, grasping her hand. 

“Nowhere else I’d rather be,” I said truthfully before I could catch myself.  Dragging my free hand through my hair uneasily, I sighed.  “Come on.  We need to get to the dining room.  It’s sort of a rule that we always meet for meals, and you need to eat something.” 

I stood and took her up with me, yearning to take her into my arms again, yet somehow quelling the impulse.  She stopped long enough to grab a cardigan from a drawer to cover up her top, disappointing me, but probably trying to avoid Sensei’s reproachful eye. 

Once in the dining room, I watched as her step faltered when she saw our Master at the head of the table.  Together we bowed in greeting to him before taking our seats on either side of him. 

Everyone else had already served themselves, so I encouraged her to do the same as I chatted casually with Sensei Wu.  Considering what I now knew, I wondered if there was more than one reason why our teacher insisted that I keep the Green Ninja at arm’s length. 

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

When Cole and Arwyn entered the dining room, I knew at once that she was a bit disconcerted.  Her aura was dark and disturbed, her affect tense.  During the meal, she said very little to anyone, and yet, Cole, in contrast, chatted cheerfully and confidently throughout, as though he was trying to distract attention.

The only time he wavered was when Kai brought up his debacle during bo-staff training with Arwyn, enjoying another laugh at his leader’s expense.  While I had not appreciated the technique Cole employed while trying to discourage her persistent recoiling, I felt reprimanding him would be redundant given the incident’s outcome.

At the end of the meal, when I was about to take my leave, Arwyn stood as I did and asked suddenly, “Sensei, may I see you in your quarters?”  I answered warmly, “Of course, child.  You are always welcome to come to speak to me,” delighted that she chose to share with me whatever was troubling her. 

A short while later, as I knelt in my quarters, a soft knock came at my door.  When she opened it at my bidding, Arwyn stood there in long pants and the cardigan, a multicolored book under her arm.  Cole was beside her, leaning in closely and speaking quietly to her.  She shook her head, and he nodded once, glancing at me before bowing, turning, and walking toward her bedroom.

I wondered briefly if I needed to have another conversation with my usually-obedient team leader over his tenacity in developing more than just a working relationship with our newest team member.

While Arwyn settled into seiza across from me, I poured out two cups of fragrant tea infused with chamomile, mint, and lemon.  She placed the book front-cover-down on the tatami mat before her and sat silently, with perfect posture.

“You seem a bit distraught this evening,” I began, handing her the small cup.  She nodded, politely sipped from the vessel, then placed it on the mat beside her.

I lifted my cup to my lips and observed as she fidgeted a moment, looking down at the book, as though trying to bring herself to say something.  I offered an opening.  “What is troubling you, Arwyn?”

At that, she reached out and turned the book over and around to face me, saying, “I have something to show you.”  I could see her name on the cover.  _Rie.  ‘Valued blessing’,_ I mused. 

Opening it to the first page, I saw a cherubic face I now saw only in my dreams.  A painful tug at my heart took me back to a night over twenty years ago.  Somehow I kept my face expressionless and made no comment as I silently surveyed the photo a few moments, a sense of loss flooding over me.  Finally I was able to turn to the next page.

When I was confronted with the sketch of my flower of tranquility, I closed my eyes and drew a deep breath.  I knew now why she was here.  I slowly looked up at my patient pupil.  She was watching me attentively with a penetrating, enquiring look. 

“Was it you?”  she asked simply.  I would not deny the truth.  I nodded, then bowed my head again to read her adoptive mother’s account of that fateful night.  The night I purposefully tore out what was left of my heart.

After reading the grateful wife’s passage, I looked again at Arwyn whom I knew was brimming with questions.  I held up my hand to stay her.  “Let me begin at the beginning, then I will answer anything else you may desire to know.”  I closed my eyes, letting my mind drift back at least twenty-five years to an earlier period of my life.

Drawing a breath, I began.  “Your mother’s name was Mave` Sidh (mah vay  shee) .  She was a beautiful, intelligent, foreign-born artist.  You greatly resemble her and are very like her in many ways.” 

“Just before Garmadon was banished to the Underworld, he and I became acquainted with this enthralling woman, and she became our friend.  After we had all known each other for some time, since I lacked the confidence to do so myself, I watched in agony as my brother wooed Mave` to him in the Underworld.” 

“She was with him for over a year, and I considered her lost to me forever, but Mave` had a difficult time handling the growing lust he had for power.  Being a strong-willed woman, when he began to control every aspect of her life, she decided to flee from him, eluded the skeleton army, and managed to find me two days later.” 

“I was more than willing to offer her refuge, and within a couple of days we discovered that our feelings for one another went far beyond those of friendship.  About a month later, Mave` discovered that she was with child.  Because she had been with both Garmadon and me within the span of a few days, she was unable to guess which one of us had fathered the baby.”

“Nevertheless, I was overjoyed, although concerned for her safety and that of the unborn child I considered to be mine.  Were Garmadon to become aware of Mave`’s pregnancy, he would have stopped at nothing to have her brought back to him.”

“As her condition became more obvious, Mave` and I traveled often to stay out of sight of the spying eyes of Garmadon’s minions.  A few weeks before the estimated time of the birth, we ended up in a cave near the village of Murisan, on the opposite side of the Mountains of Lost Hope from the Caves of Despair.” 

“Mave`’s labor began late one morning, and I hastily went into the village to collect the elderly midwife.  As the sun’s last rays filled the west-facing entry to the cave, a tiny girl entered Ninjago with an energetic cry.  It was the sweetest note I have ever heard.”

“We remained in the cave for another month before traveling to several small villages and towns in search of a more comfortable, safe haven.  I knew at your birth what your future role would be, and I knew that Garmadon would be searching for us if he perceived the change in the force of Spinjitzu.  Finally settling in the village of Kenshi, near the northern edge of the Forest of Tranquility, I taught for a living while Mave` cared for you.” 

“We were happy for a time.  However, not long after you took your first steps, Mave` became very ill, and nothing I or the local doctors did could help her.  When you were about one and a half years old, she passed away quietly as you slept in her arms.”

“Although devastated, I knew I could not give up with a baby to raise and Ninjago to protect.  After another few weeks of trying to decide how best to do that alone or if I should consider an alternative, you and I went to the nearby town of Miyagi one morning, and I overheard a conversation in the marketplace.” 

“Two acquaintances were catching up on their lives after being apart for a few years.  A thirty-something farmer selling milk, eggs, and vegetables was being questioned by his friend about his wife and family.  The farmer stated that his wife was well, but that, sadly, they had no children.  The friend was surprised since they had been married for at least ten years.”

“Seeing the young farmer’s sadness led me to follow him most of the way home that morning, noting his farm’s location in a wooded area outside of town.  Going back into the town, I questioned several locals about the couple and heard nothing but praise.  After spending one last afternoon playing with you and examining my decision, I made my way to the farmhouse after sunset.” 

“Summoning all of my courage, I forced myself to knock on the door and then spent over two hours with the hospitable farmer and his wife.  You never left the woman’s arms the entire time I was there until I took you from her to hold you one last time.” 

“Without looking back, I left you there that night before I lost my courage and resolve.  I knew I had found the best parents possible to raise the child of the only woman I’ve ever loved.  Although my heart had been destroyed, my soul was at peace.”

I opened my eyes to find Arwyn staring at the tatami mat in front of her.  When I paused in my story, she wiped a hand across her eyes and looked up at me.  “Do you have any questions that I have not answered?” I asked her. 

She nodded with a frown.  “Why did you never come back?”

“Not long after I found a suitable home for you, I began to make plans for your future,” I replied, refreshing my cup of tea.  “I had hidden the Golden Weapons of Spinjitzu many years before, but had no map of them.  I was also the only person who knew their whereabouts.  I decided that was not wise, in case something were to happen to me before you were grown.  I drew up a map and brought it to my close friend, Kai’s father, for him to hide.”

“I also knew that, by that time, the future Masters of Spinjitzu had been born, so I set about locating them, or at least their general locations, so that I would know where to find them when they had grown.  After that, I was regularly being pursued by Garmadon’s minions, making it impossible for me to go to you without leading them there, also.”

She seemed to be accepting all of this fairly well, but with her next question, her eyes flashed a little.  “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?  Were you going to tell me at all?”

I could understand her being upset.  “You did not come here on a quest for your past.  I thought it best not to distract you right away with more information than you were already being given.  I would have told you when I felt the time was right.”

“And either you or Garmadon could be my father?” she asked uncertainly.

“The only thing I can tell you with complete confidence is that you are the granddaughter of the First Master of Spinjitzu and the daughter of Mave`.”

“Did you teach her Spinjitzu?  What kind of artist was she?”  She seemed to be looking for something in common with her mother.

“She was not interested in learning any of that.  She could not control the elements or do Spinjitzu.  Mave` was not special in that she had any certain powers.  She was special to me.  She loved nature and the arts.  She kept her paints with her and worked on projects whenever she could.  After she passed, and I gave you up, her art supplies and a few canvases were all I had of her.  They were wrapped in your very first blanket.”  I smiled at that, remembering.  But my smile rapidly faded.  “Then the Serpentine burned my monastery and my only mementos of Mave`…and you.” 

Thinking about the last loss of Mave`’s I had suffered finally topped it off.  I closed my eyes against the accumulated pain and felt a single tear squeeze its way past my lashes and splash onto my cheekbone.  Before it could slide down any further, Arwyn was swiping it away with a finger. 

I think I startled her with how swiftly I reached up and grasped her hand, pausing a second before bringing her fingers to my lips, hidden under my thick mustache.  I held her fingers there for several moments before lowering my hand and releasing hers. 

Opening my eyes, I peered at her with a sad smile, saying, “But now every time I look at you, I am reminded of her.  My heart has been healed since your return.”

Arwyn answered that by leaning forward and wrapping her arms around my neck.  “Thank you,” she whispered, “for giving me the life you did, and for finally coming back for me.”  Easing away from me, she added, “And for more reasons than one, I’d prefer to think that _you_ are my father.” 

_Yes, my heart has been healed_.


	12. Wait-All That Training Has A Purpose?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She may be Sensei's daughter, but life on the 'Bounty' goes on...with a little hiccup...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a little fighting action! Read and enjoy! Kudos or comments are greatly encouraged and appreciated, although I'm just glad to see I'm gettin' hits:)

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

When Arwyn and I decided to end our talk for the night, it was growing late and past everyone’s usual bedtime.  So when she opened the door to leave my quarters, and I saw Cole enter the corridor from her bedroom to meet her, I was mildly surprised.  And yet I should not have been.

I had tried to keep the ninja leader focused on her training by hindering his chances at time alone with her and attempting to discourage any growing feelings of affection that might prove distracting in battle.  Mostly this was because I wanted her to be as strong and capable as possible. 

Yet, another reason was that when I saw them together, with the way Arwyn so greatly resembled her mother, I saw Mave` and Garmadon, as he was wooing her to the Underworld and away from me.  This caused more than a small amount of pain in my heart. 

I must stress that I did not disapprove of the skilled ninja, on the contrary, I held him in very high regard.  In fact, he was a good man and one of the best students, if not the _single_ best, that I had ever trained.  However, the idea that the young man may be pursuing one whom I considered my daughter still did not sit well with me.  Odd how I had that feeling even though I was _not_ the father who raised her.

Moreover, there was the matter of the vision I had had some time ago of a male child to be born of the Green Ninja and an elemental Spinjitzu master whose powers would eventually eclipse those of his mother.  At this point, I was assuming the child’s father would be the Master of Earth.

The child himself would certainly be a blessing and would absolutely _not_ be a problem.  However, the unspecified timing of his conception and birth could possibly be an obstacle to the execution of Arwyn’s preordained struggle with the dark lord.

Nevertheless, even given all these reasons that I was reluctant to have her paired with anyone, I was also watching as Cole grew progressively more morose, distant, and agitated.  Especially toward me.

I finally realized that denying someone his heart’s desire would only lead to more distraction, frustration, and obsession with the object of desire.  I decided that I needed to be more lenient, stop interfering, and allow this to run its course.  If it was only a crush, an infatuation, it would soon burn itself out. 

If not, then perhaps they could know the happiness shared by Mave` and me for so brief a period.  I would simply have to wait and see, and hope that they always observed good judgment in their behavior. 

If they even admitted their feelingsto one another.

****Arwyn’s POV**

As late as the hour was, Cole had met me at my door after my talk with Sensei Wu, offering an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on, if necessary.  I dared to think he was being more than a good friend and team leader.  He even surprised me when he closed the door behind us, but maybe that was so as not to disturb anyone.

We sat on my bed as I told him everything, during which he remained quiet, saving his comments and questions for the end.   He made sure I was properly consoled over the fact that my father, or uncle, had had to abandon me with strangers to keep me safe before he showed a sly grin and chuckled wickedly.  

I looked at him askance, a little puzzled.  “What?”

“Ah, I was just thinking of Sensei being full of hormones and getting busy…”  I smacked him in the head and shoulder with my pillow, nearly knocking him from the bed.  He just laughed at me, jerking the pillow from my hands as he did so. 

“You’re talking about my **_mother_**!” I growled with feigned offense, but I couldn’t hide the small smile when I thought about her and Sensei being passionate and in love.  Being human. 

Tossing the pillow back at me, he gave me a mocking look.  “Oh, don’t tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing!”

Catching the pillow, I faked a shudder.  “Actually, I’m trying _not_ to picture Wu _or_ Garmadon ’doing it’ with _anyone_!”

“Well, thanks for _that_ image!” he exclaimed with a silly look of revulsion.  “Now I’ll be up all night!”

“ _You_ started it!” I retorted with amusement and shoved at his knee with my bare foot.  “Go to your room, you perv!”

Cole playfully shoved my shoulder back, and I was settling against the headboard when he surprised me by hesitantly leaning in closer to me with an intense, smoky look in his eyes, losing the teasing smile.  I swear my heart nearly stopped as I prayed he was about to do something I’d been dreaming about quite often lately. 

I was an instant from grabbing him by the collar and yanking him to me, but he foiled that when he frowned, sat back, and slid quickly off of the bed to stand beside it.  _Nnnooooooo!_

“You’re right,” he said with all seriousness, breathing deeply as he raked the fingers of both hands through his thick, dark mane.  “Time for bed.”  _Aaaagghhh!_

I stared after him, not wanting to believe this was happening once _again,_ as he walked to the door, then paused with his hand on the handle and turned back to me with a lewd grin.  “I wonder how Wu kept his beard out of the way?”

The pillow flew again, and he caught it in the face.  “Get **_out_** _!_ ”

After he had slipped through the door and closed it silently behind him, I fell back on the bed, bringing my fists to my forehead, smiling, but frustrated.  Just how long, _how long,_ would this hot, brawny ninja make me wait?!

The next day, after Sensei had left the breakfast table, Cole and I delivered my news to the rest of the crew with mixed results.  While Cole hadn’t seemed very surprised about my paternal heritage, which I had found curious, the others were.

“Wow.  Your mother.  With Sensei.  _And_ Garmadon?”  Jay made a face and grimaced.  I didn’t like his possible implication. 

Nya didn’t either.  “Jay!”  She wagged a finger at him.  “We don’t know what she may have been going through at the time.”

He hastily tried to clear up his meaning.  “Actually, I meant that being with Garmadon had to be _gross_!  No offense, Lloyd,” he tossed to the boy who shouldn’t have even been hearing this part of the conversation. 

“That’s not very nice!” Lloyd objected loudly.  “But, anyway, it means I have a sister!  I’m happy with that!”  And his acceptance made _me_ very happy!

“Not to disappoint you, Lloyd, but Arwyn is more likely to be Sensei’s daughter, and therefore, your first cousin, since you and she are so very different physically,” Zane informed him, adding the disclaimer, “However, only lab tests could determine this conclusively.”

“Nah.  You’re my sister,” Lloyd decided.  God, I hoped not.  I really didn’t want Garmadon’s blood in my veins.  Especially since it might later be on my hands.

Kai was considering other views on the matter.  “With two fathers to deal with, things are gonna be tough on whoever _you_ date!” he said my way with a snort.  “I’m almost glad you turned me down.  Now I don’t have to live with Sensei on my back!” 

At that remark, I noticed Nya turn to look toward Cole with a small frown at the same time that he lowered his head, causing his bangs to hide his eyes from me.  _Wait, what?_

Jay’s head jerked up, and he had a sudden ‘light bulb!’ moment as he stared at Cole wide-eyed, then swiveled to look at me.  His face was comical, like he was dying to say something, but I gave him a cautioning look, and he quieted down. 

Shortly afterward, I found myself on the main deck with Zane, trying to concentrate on learning to transform his shurikens into the Snowmobile, but not doing a very good job with the focusing or the converting.  I could see Cole leaning against the quarterdeck railing above us as he talked with Sensei near the bridge, and my mind would not be quiet. 

Without talking to him, I had figured out what Jay had suddenly realized after Kai’s remark this morning.  There was one possible reason for Cole’s reserved silence if he felt anything for me.  Sensei Wu, who had known all along who and what I was, could be acting like a protective father and putting pressure on the swarthy ninja, deterring him from starting anything with me.

My only hope was that the elemental master of terra firma would rebel and crack like dried clay before I did.   If he had a reason to want to do so.

It was apparent over the next few days that my new-found family history wasn’t going to get me preferential treatment on the _Bounty_ , even though I also wasn’t expecting it. 

The only thing that changed was that Sensei and I had even more to talk about during our daily chats, although I couldn’t bring myself to ask him about Cole, and I better understood his probing into my childhood.  He also didn’t oppose my calling him _‘Chichi’_ when we were alone, although I wasn’t going to try it just yet around everyone else.

Training with the guys definitely didn’t change.  They went on trying to beat me up every day like they’d been doing from the beginning, but, again, day-by-day, I was getting better at eluding them and landing a few myself. 

I also still had no more say in anything regarding my autonomy than I had had before, which continually gnawed on my last nerve.   A case in point occurred a few days after my discovery.

A shrieking in the corridor jolted me from sleep in the middle of the night, sending me sitting bolt-upright in bed, my heart thudding in my chest like I had just run sprints.  After a few seconds, I realized it wasn’t human, it was an alarm, and I could hear soft footsteps running past my door. 

As I anxiously leapt from the bed and made for the entry, it was flung open, and light from the passageway spilled in, causing me to squint.  Cole stood silhouetted in the doorway, already in full, armored uniform, his helmet in his hand.  I was filled with relief…and admiration.  He looked _so hot_ …

“Arwyn—” he paused a split second as he looked me up and down in my night clothes, then charged ahead.  “We’ve got a call for assistance from Ninjago City!  Come with me to the bridge while we get a summary.”  He stepped back into the corridor, then added, “And grab your robe.”   

I ran my fingers through my hair as I hurriedly followed him up to the bridge where the rest of the team was already gathered.  Jay was communicating with the city law enforcement and taking notes on locations while Kai and Zane listened intently. 

“How close are the Serpentine to Sofiya, at Arwyn’s old apartment?” Zane was asking with concern.  _Serpentine?_   _Holy…!_   I hadn’t had to deal with them yet, although I had been told all I _thought_ there was to know.  

“About ten blocks,” Jay informed him, pointing out the two locations on the map.  Cole surveyed the street map, then took over with the city authorities from Jay, trying to get a few more details about the ruckus.

Kai put a hand on the ice ninja’s shoulder and said reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Zane.  They’re pretty far from her, and we’ll check on her when we’re done, okay?”  The ninja in white just nodded gravely.

Lloyd, dressed in his pajamas, came in a moment later, dragging the case which housed the weapons of Spinjitzu, letting it fall on its side with a thump on the floor.  Sensei and Nya were the only two missing from our gathering, since they had left the day before for a trip to a village a day or so away to retrieve several special teas and incense needed by Sensei.

As I watched the procedure followed by the group, I mused that in the three and a half weeks I had been on the _Bounty_ , all had been quiet, the alarm had never sounded, and the team had never left on a mission.  All of their time and energy had been devoted to starting my training as quickly as possible. 

Now I would have the opportunity to put some of that training into practice.  Ready or not.  The anxiety and sudden rush of adrenaline made me queasy and shook me awake even more.

Cole was still getting information from Ninjago City, and Zane, Jay, and Kai were retrieving their weapons from the case when I realized I couldn’t go anywhere in my night clothes and robe and started to rush out of the bridge.  Kai noticed and stopped me with a frown and a hand on my arm.  “Where’re you going?” 

I gave a quick, nervous laugh.  “I don’t think I’m dressed appropriately for a battle with the—”

“You’re _not_ coming!” he declared, cutting me off abruptly and giving my arm a shake before walking over to Cole.  I looked after him in confusion.  _Excuse me?_

Kai bumped Cole’s shoulder with his fist to get his attention as the team leader was finishing up with the communication.  “Hey, Arwyn thinks she’s coming with us.  Tell her she’s staying!”

Cole set the microphone on the counter and looked at me like I was crazy.  “What?  No, Arwyn, you can’t come!  I wanted you to be in here just to check out the procedure.  We’re going into Ninjago City to take care of a Serpentine attack near downtown, but you’re staying here with Lloyd.”

I planted my feet apart with a hand on my hip.  “Why not?  I’m part of the team!  I can help.  I’m pretty good with my Spinjitzu, and I’m getting control of my elements fairly well.  I could at least see what you do—”

Cole swiped his open hand out and to the side in a gesture of dismissal as he bent and collected his scythe.  “You’re way too important to endanger right now.  It’s not safe, and you’re not trained _nearly_ well enough yet.”  Kai stood behind him, grim-faced and nodding, with his thumbs hooked into his belt.

This was too familiar.  “But, I—”  I glanced at Jay for some help but he looked away and down at his boots.

“Besides, do you want him to be here alone?”  He played the helpless-child card, gesturing to Lloyd who stood by with a smirk, probably glad he wasn’t going to be the only one missing out on the action.

_As if!_   “No, but, I need the experience—”  Even Zane, with his arms crossed over his chest, was offering me no support, keeping his attention elsewhere, though I could tell he was checking us out through his peripheral vision.

“You’re _staying_ ,” he said firmly, striding up to me with his eyes narrowed and his scythe in hand, looking pretty menacing.

Extending my hands with my palms up, I tried in vain to plead my case.  “But, that’s not right, I—”

Approaching to within a foot of me, making me want to take a step back, Cole forced me to look up at him as he loomed over me, saying sternly and a little loudly, “ **I _said_ you are _not_ coming!**   You’ll obey my orders, stay with Lloyd where it’s safe, and hold down the fort!” 

I held my ground, barely flinching, and glared at him, thinking, _Really, was that tone of voice necessary?_

Feeling he’d intimidated me enough, he relaxed, his expression softening, and briefly gripped my arm, seeming to want to do more.  “I’ll call when I can to check on you,” he said just before he donned his hooded helmet and pulled up his mask, not giving me time to respond.

Heading out of the bridge, he called, “Let’s go, guys!” and, with that, Lloyd and I watched as the four Masters broke into a run straight for the railing, somersaulting over it and out of sight. 

We stood on the quarterdeck in silence as they crossed the desert, watching the lights on their vehicles slowly fade, with Kai’s flames being the last visible. Ninjago City, about fifteen miles away, glowed against the night sky in the distance.

After a couple of brooding minutes, I sighed resignedly and looked at the blonde boy next to me.  “Well, what now?”  He shrugged.  “No way we can sleep,” I figured.  “Maybe we could occupy ourselves with a game of football or something while we wait and listen for Cole to call?” 

Lloyd looked doubtfully up at me.  “I don’t know how to play football.”

“Eh, neither do I.  We’ll make up our own rules,” I answered before I ran to change into my evergreen, since I hadn’t gotten the hang of spinning into my uniform yet.

We lit several torches set up on the railing, and rolled up and taped a towel to be our ball, then basically played keep-away on the main deck to occupy our minds.  Everything was fine for about forty-five minutes until a new alarm sounded from the bridge.

I knew right away it wasn’t Cole.  “That’s the radar!” Lloyd confirmed as we ran up to the bridge.

“But Cole hasn’t called yet,” I said uncertainly.  “Could they already be on the way back?”

Lloyd scanned the radar and paled immediately.  “Those are Serpentine!  Coming from Ninjago City!”

I quickly measured the distance seeing that they were about ten miles away and definitely headed toward us.  _WTF?_   I grabbed the microphone and punched in Cole’s code as fast as my trembling fingers would allow.

It took two forevers for him to answer, during which time I could feel my heart hammering in my chest so hard I swore Lloyd could hear it.  Cole’s husky voice finally came over the speaker, along with sirens and the clamor of conflict.  “Arwyn?” he shouted over the noise, sounding a bit irritable.  “I’m kinda _busy_ right now!”

I was trying too hard to hold it together to get offended by that.  “Yeah?  Well, we’re about to get busy, too!  Are you maybe missing a few players in your little game over there?  ‘Cause they’re heading our way from the city and will probably be here in about eight minutes!”

“WHAT THE FRICK?!” he yelled, then paused.  “This was a diversion!  They’re after the Fang Blades!”  _The what now?_   “Pull up the anchor, and get the ship moving toward the city!  Don’t come directly this way, make it a little northwest!  It might throw them off a minute, and I’ll meet you halfway as quickly as I can!” he ordered, then hastily added, “Arwyn, if they board, you and Lloyd _hide_ , don’t try to fight them!”

“Where the hell can we hide?!” I asked incredulously.  “The ship’s not tha—”

**_“JUST HIDE, AND STAY SAFE!_** **”** he shouted desperately, and I heard the sound of the Tread Assault materializing before the communication was cut off.    

Lloyd had already pulled up the anchor and was starting the engines.  “What are the Fang Blades?” I asked in confusion.

Amazed, he looked at me.  “They didn’t tell you about the Fang Blades?!”  My blank look answered him.  “Oh, are you _kidding_ me?!  They’re only these things that the Serpentine want so they can drag up this _huge_ snake that’ll eat _all_ of Ninjago!”  He threw his arms up over his head for emphasis.  _Uh…Huge?_

“We got them right before Uncle found you and were supposed to destroy them at Torchfire Mountain, but supposedly that can only be done at certain times of the year, and we passed up the chance waiting for you to come on the ship!  Now it can’t be done for a few more weeks or months or whenever!” 

Lloyd was starting to freak out a little, and it was about to freak me out.  Plus I now had guilt over possibly being at least part of the cause of this whole Serpentine thing right now.  _If I had only made my decision the first night…_  

But I had to stick to the important stuff.  “Okay, so where are they now?” I asked, my mind racing over possible things that needed to be done.

“In Uncle’s quarters in a hidden compartment,” he answered more calmly.  Okay, so they didn’t need to be hidden, anyway.  I checked out our progress and the radar. 

“Can we go any faster?” I inquired hopefully, noting the proximity of the Serpentine blips.

Lloyd sighed.  “No.  The port-side booster’s shot, and the part is on backorder, so Jay can’t get them for about another two weeks.  That’s why we’re still hanging around the city.”  Of course.  And why did this ten-year-old know more than I did about what was going on around here?

“Fine.  Stay here and keep her heading northwest like Cole said,” I instructed him as I hurried out of the bridge.  “I’ll be right back!” 

Five minutes later I was running back in, having donned my armor and armed myself to the teeth, for all the good it might do us.  Two katanas were now in my back scabbard, numerous shurikens were tucked in my utility belt, my tanto blade was strapped to my right lower leg, and I had grabbed a scythe for good measure.

From the bridge, we could see lights from four vehicles approaching the prow of the ship off our starboard side, and the sounds of engines were heard over the _Bounty’s_. 

_OMG.  Don’t panic, girl.  You’ve been in emergency situations before as a nurse…Of course those were **other** people’s emergencies…    _

Lloyd’s eyes widened, and his voice quavered a tad as he asked, “What are we gonna do?  They’ll be on us in a couple of minutes!” 

I wanted to burst out with, ‘Hell if I know!  What do I look like, the freakin’ leader?’, but I tried to stayed composed.  “Steer a little more to port and hold it for a few seconds, then cut sharply to starboard, then go back.  Basically zigzag for a while to keep them off of us.  If that doesn’t help and they board us, don’t leave the bridge unless it’s to hide!”

I pulled my left katana from its scabbard and placed it on the counter near him.  “If they make it to you, and I can’t, do what you can with your elements or use the katana like Cole showed you.” 

I stopped and swallowed hard.  This was getting too real.  I was instructing a prepubescent boy in how to fend off a dangerous enemy.  What was wrong with this picture?  I knelt in front of him and wrapped my arms around him in a tight hug.  He automatically returned it, nearly choking me. 

“Everything’s gonna be okay, right?” Lloyd asked hopefully against my hood.   

“Of course,” I answered, sounding hollow.  “Cole will get here in time to help us.”  Why did I feel like I had just lied to this kid? 

My eyes stung as I released him and stood, turning quickly toward the door and pulling up my mask.  Behind me, Lloyd spoke hesitantly.  “Aren’t you gonna hide, too, like Cole said?”

“They’re not getting on our ship _that_ easily.”  I sounded braver than I felt. 

As I reached the steps down to the main deck, the ship lurched to port, making me stumble as Lloyd began our zigzagging path.  The Serpentine lights moved somewhat behind us with that change of course.

The snake-like route continued as I stood at the starboard railing of the main deck and watched our pursuers still manage to slowly gain on us.  The glow from Ninjago City was getting steadily closer, but I was not yet able to see other lights indicating our salvation was at hand. 

Before long, a large Serpentine vehicle was pulling alongside the _Bounty_ just beneath me, the three others close behind it.  I gripped the railing with white knuckles. 

_So it begins…_

****Cole’s POV**

_Ohmigodohmigodohmigod!  How did I let this happen?!  How did I not think they would make for the Fang Blades?!  And I left Arwyn and Lloyd alone!   I had told her I wasn’t letting her out of my sight again, and I did!  What was I thinking?!  If anything happens to her…_

I’d never been on the verge of losing it in my life, but I was getting pretty close to that as I impatiently maneuvered my Tread Assault through the crowd of battling Serpentine and Ninjago City police. 

The skirmish close to downtown included about eighty mixed Serpentine troops led by Acidicus, who disappeared not long after we arrived.  Come to think of it, the crowd had gotten smaller, then, too. 

The snakes’ fighting was not very enthusiastic or deadly, it was more of an annoying game of hide-and-seek with few casualties, which should have made me suspicious right away.  But I had just thought the platoon was being lazy once the general fled.

Now I felt like an idiot for not considering all possible reasons for this stupid brawl.  _How did I manage to forget about the Fang Blades?_   With shame, I answered my own question with a single word.  _Arwyn._ And now she and Lloyd were in danger because I had dropped the ball.

I postponed beating myself up long enough to contact the rest of the team.  “Guys!  I’m on my way back to the _Bounty_ to intercept a bunch of Serpentine who left the party early!  Things are almost under control here, so I want two of you to stay with the police a little longer, and one come with me.  Zane, I know you want to see about Sofiya, so you and Jay stay.  Kai…”

“Already on your tail, Crusher.  Lead the way,” he interrupted me somberly over the comlink.  Checking my rear-view dash monitor, I saw the flames of his Blade Cycle scattering the crowd even wider than the big wheels of my Tread Assault.  _Maybe I should put him in front of me_ …

“I’m guessing Arwyn called.  How far are they from the ship?”   His voice sounded exceptionally calm.

I grimaced as we cleared the crowd, got on the street, and sped up.  “Probably no more than five minutes.”

“And we’re close to twenty minutes away,” he commented unnecessarily, making me grit my teeth even more. 

“Actually, we should be closer,” I corrected him, now feeling a bit calmer and more determined as we sped south along the nearly-empty streets toward the Sea of Sand.  “We need to check our coordinates.  I have them moving the ship this way to shorten our trip.”

“Gotcha…I can barely wait to get there,” he said icily.  _You and me both, brother!_   I had wanted the most aggressive warrior with me, and he was quickly rising to the occasion. 

“Race you there!” he challenged as he pulled around me and accelerated when we reached the second-to-the-last block on the city edge. 

“You’re on!”

Driving like a bat out of hell, pushing the Tread Assault faster than I thought it could go, I continued to berate myself for not leaving someone else on the _Bounty_ as Kai and I stayed even with each other _._ But I also considered other things.

_She’s not trained well enough, she’s going to be killed!  She and Lloyd.  Arwyn… If anything happens to her…what am I going to do?  I don’t even care that she’s the Green Ninja any more, I just can’t lose her.  If we make it through this, can I admit to her that I …I love her?  Do I have the nerve?  I can’t continue to live like this, without her knowing.  Whether she cares about me or not.  Whether Sensei likes it or not._

The miles seemed to crawl by, but I could eventually see lights where my radar said they should be a little to the southwest.  The ship was stationary on the map, indicating to me that she had been boarded.  _Oh, God_ …I prayed we weren’t too late. 

As we got closer, it suddenly occurred to me that Kai and I were going to have a problem getting onto the ship with the anchor up and the crew occupied.  He must have thought the same since he dropped slightly behind me.  _How the hell are we gonna do this?_  

I spied a large sand dune on the starboard side near where three damned Serpentine vehicles had dug in and headed for it at max speed, hoping I could clear the railing and not smack the side of the ship with the little number I was about to attempt.  Traveling toward it, I called out to Kai, “Follow me!”

At the same time that my front tires hit the bottom of the natural ramp, I used all the elemental energy I could spare from maintaining the Spinjitzu vehicle to build the dune higher and pack it harder simultaneously.  I was pleasantly shocked when I realized it had actually worked, and I was clearing the railing with Kai’s flames following close behind me a second later.

****Arwyn’s POV**

I had made an effort to use the green concussive energy to blast the bizarre Serpentine vehicles, but it hadn’t worked very well.  Harnessing the power was still difficult for me, and it consumed a lot of my energy, so after a couple of tries that barely slowed them, I had to abandon that before I exhausted myself. 

My control of the elements was still somewhat limited, also, so that was almost useless against their vehicles, although the sand dunes I managed to pull up in their way did create a couple of amusing moments.

After that, the first thing the rotten bastards did was throw grappling hooks over the railing, slowing the ship with their vehicles until our engines stalled.  While they prepared to board, I had a go at the metal cables with my scythe, and although I hacked through the first one, the scythe blade was too screwed up to try on another. 

Using the strength of my earth element, I was able to pull another hook off of the railing, but the stupid reptiles just replaced it.  In the middle of that, I heard a cry from Lloyd from the bridge window. 

Wheeling toward him, I saw he was pointing to port, and I continued my arc, coming nearly face to face with a large, green-and-yellow snake with a long, slithering tail and white spikes on his skull holding a golden staff.  _Acidicus!_   I recognized the creepy general from photos during instructions with Nya and could only stare in horror for a moment. 

Behind him was a mixed group of five two-legged, Serpentine soldiers.  They had boarded the _Bounty_ from portside while I was busy on the starboard railing.

Acidicus seemed a little surprised to see me.  “ _Another_ ninja?  I thought you said they were all accounted for in Ninjago City?!” he exclaimed angrily to the nearest Venomari warrior up his rear.  Wherever that was. 

The subordinate stooped a touch and whined, “They were, General, but this one is different!  He’s smaller and wears our green!”  _That was not my choice!_

“Never mind,” hissed the leader of the Venomari.  “Just get rid of this filth, and search this place for the Fang Blades!”  His demeaning look left me and swept over the darkened deck.  “I want this ship taken as well!  And when you get to Garmadon’s brat, don’t damage him much.  We will ransom him to his father!”

_The hell you will_ , I thought fiercely, my fear having fled during my exertion with the grappling hooks.  Reaching forward, I leveled a thin stream of ice at the feet of the five warriors, securing them to the deck for the time being.  Acidicus slithered around behind them, screaming for them to free themselves and kill the ninja before they began to chip at the frozen stuff with their weapons.

Behind me, I heard the thuds of more Serpentine jumping from the starboard railing and landing on the deck and turned to face them, icing the first four to the deck like Acidicus’ bunch since it worked the first time.  More were coming, though, and I realized I was really gonna need a lot of help really soon.

A knife glanced off of my shoulder armor, making me flinch hard, and landed harmlessly on the deck at the feet of another boarding snake.  That’s when I understood that they actually meant it when the general said ‘kill’, and that it was something **_I_** might be forced to do.  _Maybe I should have listened to Cole and hidden!_

I figured I’d be safer as a moving target and spun into a wobbly, green, Spinjitzu tornado, skidding toward the prow, hoping to draw attention to myself and away from Lloyd in the bridge.  It worked for a few of the scaly freaks who followed me that way and found themselves with faces full of flames when I screeched to a dizzy halt and put my anger to good use. 

The rage inside me at having these disgusting snakes on board the ship we called ‘home’ blazed up and burst forth so quickly and easily that I was able to debilitate three of our foes, so I considered it a success.   

But I wasn’t able to handle all of the Serpentine who boarded.  There were at least twenty in all and while several had headed below deck to begin the search, several others were roaming around the main deck, some checking nooks and crannies, others eyeing me or aiming for Lloyd.

Leaving the last three writhing, I spotted three well-armed Serpentine, two Fangpyres and a Hypnobrai, heading directly for me.  Jerking two shurikens from my belt, I imagined my training sessions with Zane and sent the six-pointed stars into the faces of two of the snakes.  They screamed in pain and anger, and the third reached for me as I pivoted past them to run aft.  

“Arwwyynnn!”  I looked up at the sound of another scream, and saw Lloyd being roughly hauled from the bridge, struggling under the arm of a two-legged Constrictai, but gripping the katana.  A light flashed briefly around them, making me smile a bit.  Lightning. 

The Serpentine shrieked loudly, dropping the boy.  Kicking Lloyd as he tried to stand caused him to drop the katana and fall to the quarterdeck again before the black-and-orange snake gripped him around the waist and started down the stairs. 

_Oh, no, you don’t…_

Running for Lloyd and his Constrictai captor as they reached the main deck, I prepared to do something I’d never done before in my life and tried not to think about it. 

About three yards from my target, I pulled my tanto blade from its sheath on my lower leg and leapt toward the hissing serpent as he produced a wicked-looking dagger and placed the tip against Lloyd’s cheek. 

With a death grip on the tanto’s hilt, I brought the eight-inch, downward-pointing blade up, then down again with all my strength.  Slamming against him, I buried the knife to the hilt just above the temple of the shiny, scaled head, yelling with the effort.  

The three of us fell hard to the deck, with Lloyd rolling away from me toward the railing.  I stood swiftly and yanked my tanto from the Constrictai’s head, meeting little resistance, the lifeless body providing enough counterweight to allow the blade to pull free as it rasped audibly against the bone of the cranium.   

I didn’t have time to think about it, but I had the brief realization that this was my first kill.

“Lloyd!  Are you okay?”  He was just getting to his feet several feet from me when a nearby Hypnobrai, armed with a flail, spotted him and moved toward his prey. 

I heard the roar of an engine and felt a hot, solid pressure travel from the back of my head into my chest.  My heart leapt.  _Please let that be Cole and Kai,_ I prayed, but Lloyd’s danger demanded my focus, and I lunged in his direction as the engine noise ceased. 

Lightning tingled along my left arm and sparked bright and blue out of my hand as I threw myself toward the snake.  He backhanded Garmadon’s child across the face before I could get to him, sending a wave of fury crashing over me as Lloyd fell backward to the deck once again.  

Reaching the Hypnobrai, I grabbed his striking arm with my wildly-flickering left hand as he finished his swing and plunged the tanto between his ribs just below the axilla with my right, just for good measure. 

The reptile convulsed and fell as the electricity coursed through him, lighting up our corner of the deck.  His dark, odiferous blood poured out through the stab wound when I withdrew the blade.

Hearing a feral battle cry reverberate near the prow, I whirled in that direction to see Cole running toward me, drawing back his scythe with one hand, coming up quickly on two Fangpyres who were also traveling my way.  Kai was arcing through the air behind him, landing gracefully on his feet, gripping his Sword of Fire. 

The freakin’ marines had finally landed.

 

_[Chichi_ =Japanese pronunciation for ‘father’] 


	13. My Own Worst Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole and Kai arrive to join the battle on the 'Bounty', and the repercussions of a single decision made with good intentions threaten to be far-reaching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're here, thanks for still reading! I'd love it if you'd leave a note if you liked it! :) Namaste!

****Cole’s POV**

Transforming my vehicle back to the Scythe of Quakes as soon as I cleared the railing enabled me to glance around briefly as I fell toward the dark deck.  It was dimly lit with the railing torches and several lanterns held by the marauding Serpentine who were scattered around. 

There were too many green figures to find Arwyn right away, but, as I landed on my feet, a large, bright flash of blue electricity to my left from the port-side stern area of the main deck gave me hope that she was still alive.  Several Serpentine were congregating in that area, and two more were headed over there, so I did, too. 

I had told myself that I would treat this battle like any other in which my teammates were in peril.  I would keep it together and lead everyone safely to victory as usual.  But having Arwyn in jeopardy upped the ante and changed the game for me.  And not because of her prophesied destiny.

A savage-sounding roar unexpectedly escaped my throat as I sprinted in her direction, drawing back my scythe as I followed two Fangpyres aiming for the group in the stern.  Swinging with one arm, I cut them down effortlessly in a single stroke. 

For invading our home and endangering those dear to me, I would grant the vipers no quarter tonight.

Two more running steps and I came to a sudden halt, nearly nose-to-nose with a frickin’ Hypnobrai handling a scimitar.  “Look at me, worthless ninja!” he arrogantly hissed, expecting to repeat an incident I’d had with Skales, no doubt. 

Sneering, I yelled, “Do your worst!” and, as he had requested, I looked him straight in the eyes when I punched him in the chest, collapsing his sternum and stopping my fist just short of his spine.  His limp body fell to the deck as I stepped around him and continued toward the stern.

Another snake obstacle popped up in my path, this time a pair of Venomari, one carrying a mace, the other a spear.  _I don’t have time for this!_  A spinning back-kick shattered the skull of the spear-wielder and sent him crashing into the mast. 

The first swing of the other serpent’s mace whistled past my ear and snagged my hood as I recentered my stance, but I parried his second attempt with the snath of my scythe.  Using it like a bo, I spun the scythe in front of me, disarming him easily, then performed a crushing head strike, sending the Serpentine ricocheting off of the mast to rest beside his comrade.

Barely breathing faster than normal, I paused long enough to check back on Kai and found him running toward me from the prow, leaving four motionless bodies on the deck behind him.  I was one up on him.  “Try to keep up, Kai!” I yelled as I turned back to find Arwyn.

He laughed loudly as he caught up to me, looking around.  “Damn, Cole!  We’re gonna be working for _days_ to clean this deck!” 

A flash of green light shone suddenly against the quarterdeck wall between the deck stairways, and four of the Serpentine gathered there were thrown back several feet toward the fire ninja and me, dazed, but otherwise unhurt.  “Arwyn!” I breathed.  Several more were still surrounding her.

Backed against the wall, her eyes were narrowed above her mask, and she was probably trying to look fierce as she stood in a defensive stance, brandishing a katana, her free hand extended in front of her. 

But it was obvious to me she was tiring.  The green blast had not been nearly as strong as some I had seen her produce recently, and the katana shook a bit as she held it horizontally over her head.

Lloyd was shoved protectively behind her, and I saw what looked like blood smeared from his mouth and across his jaw.  That and the sight of a large, dark stain on Arwyn’s jacket from her chest down to the lower hem caused my stomach to lurch.  _Please, don’t let that be her blood…_

I caught her gaze with my own.  “Are you hurt?” I called out, a little too much worry in my tone.  She shook her head quickly, relieving me at once.  I felt like I was failing the ‘calm and collected’ thing.  Maybe Sensei was right.

“What’s your boot size, Cole?” Kai asked loudly.  “I think we have enough snakes here to make several new pairs for both of us!  We could maybe even have a new set of luggage!”  His taunting shout gave the scaly group reason to pause, and they looked back at us malevolently.  Trust Kai to bring the battle to the enemy. 

He and I were about fifteen feet from Arwyn and Lloyd, while eight Serpentine warriors surrounded them.  _Eight snakes between us and them.  We can take ‘em_.  I surveyed the cluster with a fierce eye.  “You heard him right!  We’re here to kick some snake ass, so back off of the kids, and come get some _real_ ninja!” I goaded.   

A hateful laugh rang out brashly from the port railing and caught my attention.  Acidicus was coiled there, glowering at us.  “You are in no position to be giving orders, ninja!”  He gave me no time to retort as he pointed his staff and addressed his troops, bellowing, “End this now!  Seize the boy and the green one at once!”

Kai and I got down into battle stances as four Serpentine moved in after Arwyn and Lloyd, while the other four rushed us.  Swinging my scythe, I proceeded to cut through one and saw Lloyd being pulled from his haven, grasping for Arwyn’s sleeve.

Arwyn reached in vain for the boy, calling his name anxiously as a Venomari soldier tackled her from behind, knocking the katana from her hand.  She struggled briefly in his grasp, before electricity began to spark from her fingertips. 

The Venomari yelped, but didn’t lose his grip on her, and a pair of snakes stepped up to cover her, pointing spears at her chest, putting a stop to her light show. 

Kai had ducked under and flipped his first opponent to the deck, finishing him off with a stab of his sword.  After being punched, he side-kicked the other in the chest just as I was furiously throttling my second reptile with the scythe, breaking his neck. 

“Cease now if you wish these two to live!”  Acidicus’ infuriated bawling brought our awareness back to the captives as Kai finished off his unworthy adversary.  The general slinked in a little closer to the group while I reassessed the situation.

Although I would normally have chastised Kai for acting like this, I was ready to just rush in and kill the remaining four Serpentine peons.  However, they held the advantage at the moment. 

One Fangpyre restrained a frightened Lloyd, holding a serrated blade to his throat.  Although I knew they likely intended to ransom him to Garmadon and wouldn’t actually hurt him, the thought of that possibility stayed my hand.

The other reason I held myself back was the woman being detained at spear-point by two snakes while a third clutched her arms behind her back securely.  Arwyn stood in his grasp, her chest rising and falling quickly, defiantly holding her chin up with her uneasy eyes glued to me. 

Her attitude reminded me of the first time we had met, which at this point seemed so far away and long ago, when it was really only a month earlier.  It pained me when I thought of how safely she had lived then, only to now be subjected to this.  And it was my fault.

Behind my mask, I bit my lip hard, then opened my mouth to speak, but Acidicus beat me to it, hissing smugly, “You may have decimated my troops, ninja, but it seems I now have the upper hand.”

I narrowed my eyes at him warningly.  I knew where he was headed with this.  “That’s just a false sense of security, Acidicus,” I bit back.

Something like a chuckle sounded from the reptilian general.  “Believe what you will.  But I must say, I was quite surprised to find a new ninja on board.  And, moreover, one who seems to have the combined powers of the original four,” he said thoughtfully.  With a hand on his chin, he looked toward Arwyn.  “I believe he is someone we could use to our advantage.” 

_Like hell you will!_   I must have made a move, because I briefly felt Kai’s hand on my arm and forced myself to breathe deeply.

Acidicus looked around at the Fangpyre, Constrictai, and two Venomari left to his command.  “Unfortunately, we have no Hypnobrai at the moment to insure his compliance.  No matter.  We will be leaving soon with him and the boy and will take care of that later.” 

“I’ll have to be dead, first!”  I growled hotly without thinking.  Glancing at Arwyn, I saw her look was now more than a little worried.

Acidicus ignored me and slithered around to face Arwyn and her captor.  “First, let us see what kind of boy they have trained here!”  He nodded to the other snake. 

“No!” I protested immediately, with Kai echoing me.  A ninja’s identity was sometimes his most valuable possession.  In Arwyn’s case, it made her more vulnerable.  We were prevented from doing more by the two spear-wielders who eyed us threateningly and pushed the tips of their weapons closer to her.

Arwyn’s Serpentine guard wasted no time in reaching up and pulling off her hooded helmet and mask, allowing her dark, unbound curls to cascade down to her shoulders.  I unconsciously sighed inwardly at the sight.  _Cole, really?  Like this is the time…_

The general was not as enchanted.  “A-a _female_?!” Acidicus sputtered in disgust.  He turned to me in fury and gestured vigorously toward Arwyn.  “ _This_ is the best you could do for a new ninja?  _This_ is the nuisance we’ve dealt with this night?”

She glared at him irately and snapped back, “So sorry to disappoint you, _freak,_ but I think I was a little more than a ‘nuisance’!”  The green reptile holding her tightened his grip and shook her roughly, making Kai and me take an involuntary step forward.  I caught myself first and put out a hand to stop him.

Dismissing Arwyn for the moment, Acidicus confronted me from his safe distance, raising himself a bit taller as he demanded, “I want the Fang Blades as well.  Where are they, ninja?!”

_They haven’t found them!_ A feeling of relief came over me even as I realized I had nothing to use to negotiate Arwyn and Lloyd’s release.  I could not endanger Ninjago.

My throat tightened, and I avoided looking at Arwyn, tensing my jaw and hardening my gaze like stone on the repulsive general.  Hating myself, I based my next remark on the thought of the greater good as I lowered my voice and snarled, “You’re not getting the Fang Blades, Acidicus.”

I heard Kai shift his stance at my side, probably thinking I was the worst leader ever for not trying to obtain Arwyn and Lloyd’s release at all costs.  I felt like vomiting.  All I could do was threaten.  “In fact, you’ll be leaving empty-handed.  If you leave alive.”

Acidicus snorted and leered.  “We shall see if the female wishes to be more cooperative, then.”  I stiffened as he made the slightest motion to the snake holding Arwyn. 

Without delay, the Venomari grabbed her by the hair at her crown, viciously pulling her head back and turning her face toward him in one swift and fluid motion as he leaned forward and forcefully spat his venom directly into her eyes. 

She cried out loudly in pain, jerking her gloved hands free and covering her face.  Before I could react, Kai shouted to my left, “Frick!  Arwyn!  Down!”  At his command, she immediately doubled over as he threw the flaming Sword of Fire like a spear.  It flashed over her head, impaling the viper’s skull to the wooden wall behind him, cauterizing as it went so that not a drop of blood was spilled.

In the moment of chaos that followed, I noticed the brief sound of an engine as Kai and I leapt forward and promptly dispatched the two spear-wielders with a kunai and a swing of the scythe respectively.  I barely caught sight of the general’s cowardly tail as it slipped over the railing.

Jumping over the fallen Serpentine bodies, I dropped my weapon, jerked off my helmet and mask, and fell anxiously to my knees in front of Arwyn, who knelt with her head bowed and her hands to her face.  She was coughing and gasping while she wiped her eyes and face repeatedly with her sleeves.

“Arwyn!  Arwyn!”  I grabbed her forearms to slow the rubbing, inquiring frantically, “Are you alright?  What’s going on?”  She shook her head, saying between coughs, “It…burns…. really hurts!”  Something was wrong.  This didn’t sound like Kai’s experience.

I lifted my head at the sound of more voices and found that Lloyd’s captor had become a pillar of ice with a golden shuriken protruding from his face.  Kai was helping the blonde boy squirm from under the frozen arm while Zane was extricating his weapon.

Lifting Arwyn to her feet, I could hear Jay laughing as he leaned over the port-side railing.  “What the hell’s so funny?” Kai demanded crossly.  “Arwyn got spit on, and that damned Acidicus just got away!”

Looking awfully proud of himself, Jay strutted over to us.  “He got off the _Bounty_ , but before we boarded, I pulled the plugs out of all of their engines while Zane took care of the three snakes left down there.  He’s not going far!”  Saluting me, he added, “By the way, convenient sand dune, Cole.”

I nodded and turned back to Arwyn, prying her hands from her lowered face.  “Let me see!  Open your eyes, Arwyn.”  Tears were streaming down her face but she wasn’t sobbing.  Instead, she was agitated and cursing.

“I HATE those * _cough_ * fricking snakes!  I can’t believe I * _cough_ * let him do that!  Crap, it burns!” Her eyes were tearing, red, and swollen.  “I can barely open my eyes!  And I * _cough_ * can’t see a damn thing when I do!” 

_Holy…_   I was about to stomp on the panic button when Zane stepped up to us, saying evenly, “Arwyn, allow me to cool your eyes with my hands for a moment.”  She forced herself to stand still and let him cover her eyes as he stood behind her. 

Jay and Kai were standing nearby, observing us with arms crossed.  “At least while she’s blinded she won’t have to deal with the freaky hallucinations,” commented Kai sympathetically.  “Just hope it’s only temporary…” 

“Yeah.”  The human sparkler was distractedly looking around at the littered and bloodied deck.  “By the way, who’s gonna clean up this mess?”

Our flame-throwing brother cast an annoyed glance his way.  “There’s a mop in the hall closet.  You’re welcome to it.”

They needed direction.  Moving away from Arwyn and Zane, I began to instruct Kai and Jay to secure Acidicus while the ice ninja and I took care of the injured.  “…And take him to the Ninjago City police when you get him,” I advised, adding fervidly, “Don’t bring him back here, or I’ll kill him.”

“Oh, and you trust _me_ to bring him safely to the police?” Kai asked dryly with a cocked eyebrow and a skeptical expression as he and Jay prepared to leap over the railing.

“I really don’t care what you do with the…,” I stopped when I saw Lloyd’s miserable-looking face staring up at Arwyn.  “Just get back safely,” I finished quietly as I reached the boy and tilted his chin up to inspect his swollen jaw and bloodied mouth.  I sighed.  _None of this should ever have happened_.

With his eyes still on Arwyn, Lloyd began remorsefully, “I’m so sorry I ever let them loose—” 

I cut him off quickly.  “Don’t start with that, Lloyd!  This was not your responsibility.  C'mon.  Let’s go get you two checked out properly.” 

Interrupting Zane’s therapy session, and surprising Arwyn, I scooped her up in my arms without a word and started for the stairway to below deck.  She didn’t protest and immediately clung to me, resting her cheek on my shoulder. 

Looking down at her tear-stained face as I carried her to the infirmary, I thought about how wonderful holding her like this would be if we both didn’t feel so rotten.

In the newly-remodeled infirmary, I reluctantly lay her down on the waist-high, padded exam table on the far wall that adjoined the sink counter in the right-hand corner. 

Kai and I had worked last week for three days straight without training to build and install the wall and base cabinetry on this wall and the left one, as well as adding plumbing for the sink.  The cupboards had been placed against the right wall, and the cot remained against the left wall.

It had been hard work for two guys with little experience in carpentry or plumbing and less patience, but Nya had done a lot of supervising, and we had been determined to finish the project without hurting each other.  It wasn’t easy, but we succeeded.  Arwyn had been so happy with the outcome that all the splinters and smashed fingers were worth it.

Now, she and Lloyd were the first patients in the new room.  I watched as she sat up and rinsed her face several times under running water in the sink.  “What do you think is going on?” I asked Zane worriedly.  “Kai didn’t have this kind of reaction when he was spit on.”

Zane considered a moment.  “I believe she may be having an inflammatory response as a result of an allergic reaction.  Arwyn, what do you have that may take care of this?”

Her voice was muffled as she dried her face on a towel.  “Antihistamine and anti-inflammatory on the second shelf in the cupboard.  And your heavenly hands on me.”  I wished she was saying that about mine.

Zane blushed a bit as he walked to the cupboard to retrieve the items, making me roll my eyes.  Helping Lloyd onto the exam table to sit beside Arwyn, I winced as I took a good look at his bruised jaw and cut lip, in addition to examining his teeth. 

The only consolation was that whichever snake had done this had expired.  In our frenzy, Acidicus had been the only survivor, and that wasn’t intentional.  Since he was continually advising us not to fight angrily, I wondered how Sensei was going to react to that.  _Oh, well_ … _Let this be a warning to the bastards._

* * *

It was after four AM by the time Arwyn and Lloyd had both been treated and cleaned up.  I had sent Lloyd to his bed, then helped Arwyn to hers. 

Her experience had left her a little shaken, but the antihistamine was making her drowsy, so I figured that was a good thing.  I had not yet asked many questions about the battle, thinking we’d talk about it at another time, and she hadn’t broached the subject, either.

I had guided Arwyn to her bedroom from the bath so she wouldn’t further injure herself by running into a wall or something along the way.  At her bedside, she shrugged out of her robe, but didn’t immediately jump under the quilt to cover up her  top and shorts.  _Oh, no…_

I tried hard not to look at her, but my stupid body betrayed me and reacted anyway.  _Well, this is just great…At least she can’t see it._

Pausing without saying anything, she reached for me with her left hand, and I caught it with my right.  “I killed for the first time tonight,” she said so softly I almost didn’t hear her. 

Taking a breath, I stepped closer, and pulled her into my arms-though not too closely-holding her silently for a moment. 

I stroked her damp hair gently.  “You were protecting Lloyd and yourself.  You did what we’ve been training you to do.  I should have been here, and I’m sorry I wasn’t.  I made a poor decision.”

“About what?” she whispered against the base of my throat.

“I should not have left you and Lloyd alone,” I answered ruefully, disgusted with myself.  “I should have anticipated something like this.”

Her head remained on my shoulder as she sleepily argued, “You can’t anticipate everything.”

“It’s what I’m supposed to do, and I didn’t,” I responded emphatically, separating from her slowly and reaching out to pull back the covers on her bed.  “We’ll talk more later.  Get some rest, and don’t worry about getting up until you wake up.” 

I eased Arwyn onto the mattress, and she lay back on the pillow tiredly as I covered her with the quilt.  Shouldering my guilt and anger at myself, I stood by her bed and watched her fall asleep before finally dragging myself out of her room.

* * *

Later, while the rest of the team got a couple of hours of rest, I sat alone in the game room.  The sun rose slowly as I watched it through the porthole, ruminating over and over again about what I should have done, why I didn’t consider all the possibilities, and what I now needed to do. 

The fact of the matter was that I had to hold myself accountable.  I had failed at my job, and there were consequences because of it.  Although I wasn’t happy with it, after struggling to come to terms with what I felt I was obligated to do, I knew I’d made the right decision.  I just had to wait until Sensei got home to announce it.  

By mid-morning my self-deprecating mood had not improved as the guys and I labored to clean up the ship.  Kai had torched the pile of bodies we had collected between the sand dunes, then we had moved the _Bounty_ back to its previous location.  We were in the middle of scrubbing the deck with peroxide when Sensei Wu and Nya returned.

Silence reigned as they took in the scene.  I swear the other three Masters all drifted further away from our teacher, and Nya followed them, before he fixed me with a stare.  “Where are Arwyn and Lloyd?” were his first words.

I squared my shoulders, wishing I could teleport elsewhere.  “They’re resting below deck, and they’re doing okay.”  I wasn’t looking forward to relating the story of how his nephew and daughter-or niece-were abused and nearly kidnapped, the Fang Blades nearly stolen.

Sensei wasn’t normally into delaying things.  He turned on his heel with his basket of goodies and headed for his quarters, simply motioning over his shoulder for me to follow.  I dropped the handle of my push-broom and unenthusiastically obliged, pushing a hand through my hair.

We marched past Arwyn’s quiet bedroom and entered his.  I stood nervously by the door while he placed his basket on the table and glanced at the corner where the Fang Blades rested in a concealed niche.  I said nothing.  Beginning his preparations for tea, he commanded, “Tell me.”

We wound up on the mats with our steaming cups as I explained everything, minus the ten to fifteen minutes Arwyn and Lloyd had dealt with the Serpentine alone before Kai and I had arrived on the _Bounty_. 

My mentor was taciturn throughout, not even commenting on the carnage or the outcome.  He only said, “I see.” 

Determined to acknowledge my responsibilities and errors and to accept any admonishment, I forged ahead, gazing steadily at my master.  “I left Arwyn alone on the _Bounty_ thinking she was safe.  She ended up protecting Lloyd and the Fang Blades while none of her guardians were protecting _her_.”    

Swallowing hard, I persisted as he regarded me unblinkingly.  “It was a poor decision on my part.  I almost made a fatal mistake by taking the team to Ninjago City.  The Fang Blades could have been stolen, Lloyd could have been kidnapped, and Arwyn…”  I closed my eyes and couldn’t finish that sentence.

Lowering my head, I concentrated on the weave of the mat under me and continued, “I don’t deserve to be the leader anymore, and I shouldn’t be.  I’m not smart enough, I’m not fast enough.  I let myself get distracted.  Someone could have been killed.  I want Zane to take over.  He’s always logical and analytical.  He won’t fail like I did.  I’m going to step down—”

Sensei’s fist slammed down on the tatami mat beside him, nearly knocking over his teacup.  I jerked my head up, sucking in a breath, startled by his sudden intensity.  “Rubbish!  You’ll do nothing of the sort!  I will _not_ allow it!”  I stared at him openmouthed.  I hadn’t seen or heard him like this in quite a while. 

“Did Zane foresee this and advise you to do other than you did?” 

I shook my head negatively.  “No, but I—”

He kept on quickly.  “Were you thinking selfishly when you went to assist the citizens of Ninjago City in their time of need?” 

Another shake.  “No, but—”

He waved an impatient hand.  “Were you _not_ attempting to keep Arwyn and Lloyd from harm by excluding them from the dangerous situation in the city?” 

I just looked at him.  He knew the answer to that.

“Your only mistake was forgetting about the Fang Blades and the possible effort to steal them, and you are not alone in that.”  He sighed.  “I should have postponed bringing Arwyn here until after we had destroyed those vile tools, but I was anxious to collect her, with the intention of beginning her training and…having her near me.”  I certainly wasn’t gonna fault him for _that_.

Pouring fresh tea for both of us, he chastised, “I will hear no more of this nonsense of your not being a worthy leader.  I chose you for a reason, and you will _not_ abdicate over one unfortunate episode.” 

Handing me the cup, he went on with my pep talk.  “Lloyd has been kidnapped before, Arwyn has survived her first battle, probably having developed a healthy distaste and respect for the Serpentine, and the Fang Blades were not found.  You will now be more diligent about not allowing your emotions to interfere with your job, and we will make better plans for the Fang Blades’ destruction when the time is right.”  _Huh?  To which of my emotions was he referring?_

“We have all learned from this incident, and you know you can only _plan_ for future interactions with the enemy, you cannot fully manipulate them.”  He calmly sipped from his little cup as I stared into mine. 

“I wish for you to bring Arwyn to me as soon as she wakes.  I will have a poultice prepared to help with her injury.  But, for now,” his eyes crinkled as he smiled, “make sure that the deck is spotless and the others aren’t loafing in your absence.”

Knocking back the remainder of my tea, I rose and bowed, sincerely expressing my gratitude.  Although I felt tons lighter as I left his quarters, there was still a weight on my chest.

When was I going to have the guts to carry out the other decision I had made on my frenetic drive to the _Bounty_ _?_


	14. Anybody Got A Towel To Throw?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole 'fesses up to Arwyn about his attempt to hand over leadership, then does some soul-searching about a certain brunette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for stopping by! Read and enjoy!

****Arwyn’s POV**

_No breath…can’t …breathe._

_Weight…so heavy…suffocating…unbearable._

_So dark…can’t see._

_Breathe…try to…breathe._

_Can’t move …what’s holding me?_

_Smell of soil…grit in my mouth._

Struggling to move, I was able to make a fist.  Finally, I could move something.  Felt rocks in my grip. 

Still couldn’t expand my chest to breathe.  Rocks pressed down on me, compressing me. 

Was I buried alive?  Crushed by an avalanche? 

I opened and closed my left hand.  Maybe I could dig myself out. 

If only I could breathe.  My lungs burned, screamed for air.  Inhale!  If I could just breathe! 

I felt more room to move my hand and began to scrape frantically, desperately, at the dirt, clawing to get free. 

A loud clatter jerked me to consciousness as I flailed my arm.

Sucking in air as though I had just emerged from water after a deep dive, I sat straight up in bed as I woke from my dream, and attempted to open my eyes, wondering why a sliver of dim light was all I could see.  As I gasped for breath and rubbed my burning eyes, the memory of the battle and the subsequent spitting flooded back to me. 

_Well, that explains that_ , I thought, panting.  _How long have I been sleeping?_   Fumbling blindly for the annoying alarm clock, I found only the electric cord and followed it down to the floor, reeling in the fallen appliance like a fish on a string.  Once I got it up, the face of it was nothing but a dim, red blur to me.  _Well, this sucks.  Hope it’s not permanent._

_Now what the heck is going on with Cole?_ The overwhelming weight of his element in my chest was still there.  It was usually very comforting, except when he was stressed about something, like during the battle. 

At that time I had felt this crushing sensation in my chest and abdomen as, in awe, I had watched him ferociously take down one Serpentine warrior after another, then boldly face down the fearsome reptilian general. 

Admiration and trepidation had mingled again as it had in the clinic when he had threatened Jin Kita.  I had now seen just how dangerous this ninja could be.  Was this the same wonderful man who had apologized with a cupcake, flirted with me, then held me tenderly less than a week ago?  _Wow._

The pressure hadn’t abated until after he had carried me to the infirmary.  Now the compression felt like a ton of bricks again.  _Did something horrible happen?_   Worry shot through me as I sat quietly in the tangled sheets and caught my breath, starting suddenly when I heard Sensei Wu’s loud exclamation from his quarters.  _What the…?!_  

Sitting perfectly still, I tried to make out his words as he continued to speak ardently, though not as loudly.  To my irritation, I couldn’t understand anything, and by the time I had thrown back the covers and stumbled out of bed to eavesdrop at the door, he had quieted down.  _Drat._  

With bated breath, I stayed by the entry for a few minutes, just in case I could catch something, but he was quiet again.  Sighing, I began to turn away from the door, when I realized the weight in my torso had eased.  A lot.  _Thank goodness.  For Cole and for me._

A quiet click from down the hall, then a soft footfall outside the door had me smoothing my hair right away with both hands.  I allowed my long bangs to hang in my face to camouflage my swollen eyes before I jerked the door open, forgetting, but not caring anyway, that I was in only my sleep clothes.

“Cole!  What happened?  What’s wrong?  Is Lloyd alright?”  My rapid-fire questions hit him before he could even knock. 

His boot scuffed the floorboards, and he laughed softly.  “It still sometimes freaks me out a little that you can do that!”

“Sorry!” I said quickly, groping for his arm which he conveniently placed within my reach.  “Get in here and tell me what’s going on!”  I dragged him in and promptly stubbed my toe on the leg of the bed when I turned back toward it.  “Sonova-!”

“Ooh, looks like we may benefit from a little special training while you’re vision-impaired!” he remarked as he guided me toward the head of the bed and sat me down on the mattress.  He modestly pulled the quilt over my legs as I drew them up and squeezed my battered toe.

“Yay,” I muttered.  “Now about—”   

“Lloyd’s fine.  He was still sleeping when I checked on him last.”

“Then tell me why you’re so upset!”

He paused a long moment before going on quietly, “Again, that freaks me out.  My element…?”

“It was seriously crushing, to say the least.”

He sat on the bed in front of me, and how I wished that I could see the lightly-bronzed face that had become so dear to me, the greenish-grey eyes lined with thick, black lashes within which I so often lost myself.  Instead, he was just a dark blob. 

“I was just explaining to Sensei about the…incident…during the night.  Why there were so many stains on the deck, that sort of thing.”

I grimaced, remembering the scene.  “What else?”

“That’s it,” he replied evasively.

I snorted lightly.  “I know there’s more.  Tell me or…,” I thought hard for a good enough threat.  “Or I’ll shout your full name all over this ship,” I declared with a determined expression.  I knew he had left the door open and figured I could probably yell loud enough.

Cole didn’t seem worried.  “Arwyn, really?”

I was not bluffing.  “One…”  I held up an index finger.

“That’s really all we talked about,” he said with an insistent note, trying to convince me.

Two fingers and a corner of my mouth came up in fair warning.   “Two…” 

“There was nothing else of importance!”  Nervousness had crept into his voice.  And maybe a little desperation?

Drawing a deep breath, I prepared to blast his name from the prow to the stern when I suddenly felt a warm, calloused hand latch onto the nape of my neck, his other was clamped firmly over my mouth.

“Okay!  Okay!  I’ll tell you everything!”  He had pulled me in closer to him and spoke urgently near my cheek.  “Just promise not to make a sound if I let you go!”

Since I was laughing so hard under his hand, all I could do was nod.  Apparently he still didn’t trust me.  He kept his hands where they were, holding me near him so that I was resting in the crook of his elbow with my hands on his rock-hard thigh.  I definitely did _not_ have a problem with that! 

In a brazen attempt to tease him, I leaned on the hand nearest his knee and slid the other close to his hip, feeling his quadriceps tense as I did so.  _Heh, heh!_

Cole caught his breath for an instant, then after shifting on the bed, he proceeded to tell me the rest of his conversation with our teacher.  I didn’t remove my hand.

I almost missed the part about him taking responsibility for everything that had happened with the Serpentine, since I was distracted by his intoxicating scent.  Freshly-plowed soil in the warm sun again… _He’s been outside working._

I was jerked back to what he was saying when he got to the part about asking to be relieved as our leader.  His self-esteem was usually better than that!  Frowning, I grunted with disapproval and lightly bit his palm.  He flinched slightly in response, but didn’t move it. 

“I know, I know!  I already got it from Sensei.  He made it clear that wasn’t an option, and that I’m performing well enough.”  He sighed.  “But I still doubt my decision, and you and Lloyd got hurt.  That was my fault.  Mostly.”  I shook my head a smidge to argue with him.

Positioning my face so I felt we were almost nose-to-nose, he continued in a chiding manner, “But _you_ disobeyed my order to hide and not fight!  You _have_ to obey me if I’m the leader!”  I huffed at that. 

“Yes, you do,” he insisted, then added with pride, “Although, you did pretty well at what we’ve been training you to do.  You and Lloyd stayed alive, and I saw the two snakes you dropped.”  I beamed inwardly at his praise.  “But I can’t repeat what was almost a critical error.  You will not be left alone again.” 

_Great.  Twenty-four-hour surveillance now?_ I was mumbling against his hand to protest this when I felt his whole body stiffen.  I didn’t have time to wonder why.

“Ah, my child.  I see Cole has awakened you and is preparing to bring you to me as I requested,” came Sensei’s quiet voice from my doorway.  “Is that correct, Cole?”

The powerful ninja floundered for a response as he hurriedly released me from what was probably a thought-provoking embrace and stood up from the bed.  “Uh, yes, Sensei!  I was about to step out, and, uh, let her dress, then I’ll get her to you.”  I had to bite the inside of my cheek not to laugh at the edgy feeling in the room. 

“Good, then,” Sensei cheerfully responded.  “I will meet you in the infirmary in five minutes.”  The whisper of his footsteps faded as he retreated down the hall.

“Well, he sounded amused,” I observed with a grin.

I heard Cole’s ragged exhalation before he placed a hand on my wrist.  “Do you need me to get you anything before I run up and check on the guys?”

I almost accepted his offer, but thought it might be unseemly of me to have him digging through my lingerie drawer, so I declined and sent him on his way.  I still had a little time to take advantage of his willingness to help later.

* * *

It took about a day and a half for all of the inflammation to recede, so in the meantime, I got plenty of sympathy from my considerate teammates who each seemed to harbor a certain degree of guilt over the incident. 

Kai insisted that he should have seen it coming and skewered the Venomari before it spit on me.  Jay and Zane regretted taking the extra time to check on the peacefully-sleeping Sofiya and not being there to help more. 

And then there was Cole, who tried to take on all the blame while being subtle about it, but failed.  I had my own guiding-eyes ninja everywhere I went, a butler to fix my plate and cut my meat, a lackey to do my laundry, minus my unmentionables, and all my chores, etc.  I have to admit that I milked the situation as best I could for every ounce of his attention.

Did **_I_** feel remorse for this?  Not at all, because I paid for it with the ‘special training’ our fearless leader had promised.  Oh, yeah.  All I can say is that sparring and weapons-training while vision-impaired are _not_ amusing ways to pass your time. 

After all of that, once my sight cleared, I noticed that the general mood of the team needed lightening up.  If they thought they needed to make atonement, I decided I would help them do that in a rather juvenile way.

****Cole’s POV**

As usual, I woke well before the alarm clock, at about five.  Lying in the predawn dimness, I stared up at the bottom of Jay’s bunk for a while, thinking back on the last couple of days since the battle.

Arwyn’s temporary blindness had finally resolved itself, making me feel immensely better for her.  Unfortunately, it also relieved me of my guilt-driven duties of assisting her with everything, something I really didn’t mind, since it gave me an excuse to hang around with her for two days without Sensei glaring at me. 

You’d swear he normally thought I was some wanton barbarian looking to claim a virtuous maiden.

I had to admit, though, that he seemed to have loosened up a little on that the past week or so.  When he caught us in that compromising position on her bed, he hadn’t shot daggers at me the way he had done at other times.  His mood and tone had even seemed light when he was addressing me then, and later, in the infirmary, as we tended to her.

Of course, had he _known_ some of the impure thoughts going through my head as I held her, he definitely would _not_ have been so generous.  Not that I was thinking of anything worse than what _he’d_ done with her mother…

Pushing that unchaste topic aside before it got out of hand, I folded my arms under my head and thought of a puzzling conversation I’d had with the brother above me yesterday.  ‘Puzzling’ because I really didn’t think Jay thought about much more than Nya and his contraptions. 

Yesterday morning I had been checking on things in the bridge, then wandered out onto the quarterdeck.  From there, I noticed Arwyn and Kai on the main deck near the prow going through a sword-handling drill while her sight was still limited. 

The fiery opportunist was standing behind her with his arms around her, unnecessarily readjusting her grip on his Sword of Fire like it was a baseball bat.  I fought hard against the overwhelming sense of possessiveness that almost had me jumping the railing and forcefully separating them.  Jay happened to bound up the steps to meet me at just the right time.

“Hey, bro, what’s hap-?  Whoa.  _That’s_ not a happy look.”  I turned my sight on him as he was looking away from me to see what had held my attention on the main deck.  A broad grin was spreading across his face. 

“Well, looks like Kai is trying to take advantage of Arwyn’s handicap while he can, huh?  Smart man.  That way they’re more vulnerable and slower when you chase ‘em.”  It really annoyed me when he laughed at that.

I tried to keep my expression neutral while I wondered just why the hell he was saying this, but I guess I just traded my pissed-off-at-Kai face for my why-the-hell-are-you-saying-this one.

He looked back at me with an amused and perplexed air.  “What?  At least he’s persistent.  He may have been rejected once, but he let his feelings be known early.”  He waved a hand confidently.  “He still has time to work on her.”  This was _not_ helping me.

Resting his elbows on the railing, he continued his monologue, evidently not aware that I was getting more irritable by the second.  “I wish I had done it that way with Nya, instead of dragging it out for so long, admiring her from afar, keeping all my feelings for her to myself until we were almost killed.”

“Your feelings were obvious from the beginning, Jay,” I informed him flatly as I kept my eye on the man in vermilion who hadn’t yet removed his paws from the woman in evergreen.

He ignored me and kept on going.  “Yep.  Zane and Kai did it the right way.  Just tell ‘em how you feel, and deal with the consequences right away, no matter what the result.  Life is way too short to take it slow!  You never know how much time you really have left.  _Carpe diem!”_   What the frick was with all the clichés?

Pushing my bangs off of my brows with a fingertip, I narrowed my gaze at the blabbermouth.  “Jay, where are you going with this?”

Looking at me with all innocence, he said, “Oh, I’m just saying that’s the way we all ought to be when it comes to things like that.  Like, I heard a song recently that went, ‘if you love something, set it free.  If it comes back…’  Oh, wait, that’s not it.”  I blinked hard at him. 

He paused a moment, looking deep in thought.  I hoped he didn’t pass out.  “Oh, yeah!  I got it!  ‘If you love somebody, tell them while they’re here ‘cause they might not be there tomorrow’,” he finished, beaming.  Nice.

From behind me, Nya spoke up.  “I know that song!  It’s really catchy and has a good message.”  She stepped up to the railing on my other side and smiled across me at Jay, nodding.  “You’re right, Jay!  If you care about someone, you should never wait to tell that person how you feel.” 

“Thanks, Nya!”  A dreamy, doofus look was plastered on his mug. 

Looking at me meaningfully, she added, “Don’t you agree, Cole?”  Were these two now in cahoots and working against me?

Putting my back to my goofy colleague, I looked hard at Nya and mouthed, “What have you told him?”  She smiled coyly and traced an X on her chest.  Sighing, I knew I had to trust her. 

I peered back at the twosome in the prow.  Kai had finally allowed Arwyn to swing the sword on her own, encouraging her as she practiced on a target he had set up.

Why did I still see the fire ninja as a challenger for Arwyn’s affection?  She had told me that she wasn’t interested in him like that.  Besides that, he was my brother-in-all-but-blood.  I shouldn’t feel this primitive urge to hit him every time he got around Arwyn like I was an alpha male.  But what if he made a second attempt to win her over?

Jay actually made sense, as insane as that sounded, and just supported the idea that I needed to talk to Arwyn soon.  But, for the moment, I decided to touch on another subject. 

Going back to the blue ninja with a serious expression, I said, “As long as I have you here, what about that secret you know about Arwyn?”  His eyes widened, and he took a step back from me like I'd just grown fangs and a lot of body hair. 

“Uh, I think I need to take care of something below deck.”  Spinning on his heel, he  bolted for the steps and left me alone with Nya.

“’Secret’?”  Nya looked suspiciously at me.

_Oh, crap_.  I didn’t need to get the blatherer in trouble.  “Uh, just some little thing he learned about her that’s probably embarrassing,” I tried to cover.  “He’s being a gentleman and not blabbing it to everybody, but, you know me, I’ve got to be ‘in the know’ on everything.  Heh.”

Raising an eyebrow, she seemed to let it go, glancing back to the duo with the sword, then studying me as I leaned on the railing, watching them.  “Those feelings you’ve had haven’t gotten any less, have they?”

“Nope.”

I caught her knowing look out of the corner of my eye.  “Only getting stronger?”

“By the hour.”

“Do you still care that she’s the high-and-mighty Green Ninja?”

“Not a bit.”

Smiling smugly, she crossed her arms.  “You know I want to say ‘I told you so’.”

“Knock yourself out.”

Nya just chuckled.  “Well, Cole MONT-anaro.  When are you going to invite Arwyn to go mountain climbing?  I’m sure she’d love to at any time.  Probably already has the peak picked out, just needs the guide.”  How subtle.

“As a matter of fact, I’m planning on talking to her before long.”

“You don’t have to plan _everything,_ you know,” she replied, rolling her eyes in exasperation.  “What’s holding you back?” 

Before I had had to admit that I was insecure about Arwyn’s response, Lloyd had bounced up to us with two bo staffs, insisting that he and I go down to join the red and green ninja in training.  Looking at his eager, bruised, and still-puffy face, I couldn’t refuse, so that had ended Nya’s full-court press on me.

But, since then, I’d had time to think more about my reasons for being insecure, even when Arwyn seemed to _like_ having me around.  It went back to someone else’s relationship.

My father was very bitter after my mother left us.  He had continually stressed to me that any woman was capable of luring me in like a Siren, then ripping out my heart, taking whatever I had of monetary value, and leaving me with any children she bore for me who didn’t matter to her.  Like his son. 

I spent my teens thinking all women were cruel and heartless, only wanting to use me for whatever selfish desires they might have.  Being male, I couldn’t completely stay away from them, yet I also couldn’t bring myself to just use them, like my father suggested. 

So I satisfied myself with their company and just a little physical contact until I felt they were wanting more, then I dodged them.  I couldn’t let them get attached to me, and I was very conscious not to get close to any of them.

To make up for what was lacking in my life, I had kept myself moving, striving to be better and stronger in every sense of the words.  I had finally been found by Sensei and gained true meaning in my life.  

Then Sensei had unknowingly changed everything for me again when he sent me for Arwyn.  From the moment I met her, it was obvious to me that she was different. 

At first, she was closed to me, only slowly opening up and offering me a teasing glimpse into her soul.  If she _was_ a Siren, her song was the sweetest, most mesmerizing ever sung.  I could find no gnashing teeth or rending claws, no matter how hard I looked. 

I had slowly, but surely, been drawn closer to her snare, and I could fight it no longer.  I had forgotten why I was even fighting.  I _wanted_ to be roped and tied.  I imagined her rope to be one of silk…

How did I get to this point?  I thought of my father and what his reaction would be, but it didn’t really matter to me anymore.  He’d had his chance and, unfortunately, lost.  Now he refused to try again.  If one can sometimes only learn from one’s mistakes and experiences, then it was my turn, but I couldn’t see how trusting Arwyn with my heart would be a mistake. 

I now _knew_ how I felt, although it had been hard for me to admit it.  I loved her more than I could ever have imagined loving someone.  She had become my world, my heart, my soul.  I needed her to breathe...to _survive._

Now I had to do the really tough part.  Tell her, and find out how she felt.

That’s where the hesitation came in.  What if she didn’t really _want_ me?  She had issues of her own, stemming from a crappy relationship she’d had with some _stronzo_ in Miyagi. 

She’d only mentioned him once to me, and I hadn’t gotten his name, which was probably best.  It would only tempt me to hunt him down and make him regret his life since he’d met her, just for hurting her. 

I rolled over onto my side and considered what I would do if my feelings for Arwyn were unrequited.  In truth, it would _devastate_ me, petrify my heart, destroy my soul.  But at least I could say that I’d pushed past my limits, and she’d know.  After that, I supposed I’d just deal with it and live with loving her at arm’s length until I either got over it or died, whichever came first. 

Heaving a breath, I figured I’d better get off of this train of thought before it wrecked my mood in a colossal way.  I checked the clock and saw the alarm would be going off in two minutes. 

Throwing back the covers, I sat up, swinging my legs out and over the edge of the bed, putting my bare feet down to the floor, directly into something cold, wet, and slimy.

“Ahhh!”  I immediately jerked my feet back with a loud, startled cry I wasn’t able to bite back.

Holding my wet feet up, I looked down in the semidarkness and could just make out a large, rectangular shape on the floor by my bed.  “What the…?”

“Whazz goin’ on?” I heard Jay ask sleepily from above me.  I didn’t answer him, just stepped over the thing on the floor and stomped to the door to turn on the light.  The other three bundles in beds twisted and groaned with the sudden illumination.

Kai shielded his eyes like a vampire in the sunlight.  “Whazz with the light, man?  It’s not even time to get up yet!”

The alarm clock began its bleeping beeping as he said that, so I stepped closer to the dresser and used a little restraint as I slammed my fist on the snooze button.  “That!” I exclaimed with annoyance while pointing to a baking sheet filled with green gelatin marred by two large footprints.  “ _That_ is why the light is on!  Who the hell put it there?!

“Did you step in that?”  Zane asked as Jay began cackling from his bunk.  Lloyd and Kai were still adjusting to the light, but started their chortling when I answered Zane with an affirmative.  

Sitting on the edge of his bed, the ice ninja remarked, “With the way you sleep, someone had to be very stealthy to have put it there.”

“Someone like a NINJA?” I replied irately, glaring accusingly at Jay and Kai.  They didn’t stop their snickering, but immediately denied any accountability.

“If I had done it, I’d have dumped it on your head while you slept!” Kai laughed as he slid off of his bunk to the floor.  _Nice to know._

I didn’t even consider Zane as a suspect.  With my feet sticking to the floor with every step, I walked over to Lloyd’s cot as he stretched lazily and yawned.  Crossing my arms and towering over him, I sternly regarded the tousle-haired boy.  “Lloyd…”

Undaunted, he huffed, “I don’t even know how to _make_ gelatin!  You won’t let me near the oven, remember?”  With that remark, I ruled _him_ out.

Turning back to the others, I declared, “I know one of you did it, _Jay or Kai,_ and I’m going to find out which one!  Be _prepared.”_   They didn’t seem concerned.

“We’re not the only ones on this ship, you know,”  Jay retorted as he straightened his sheets.

“Oh, so you’re suggesting Sensei, Arwyn, or Nya did this?” I asked sarcastically.

Jay and Kai paused in silence for a moment before each pointed at the other, saying, _“He_ did it!”

What was I heading here, a daycare center?  I shook my head as I walked to the bathroom to do my morning routine and wash my sticky feet.  I’d get to the bottom of this before they knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still reading? Wonderful! Let me know what you think about the writing, the story, the weather...XP  
> 


	15. What Did We Do To Deserve This?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is tormented by a practical joker, and they don't find it amusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the read, and please let me know if you did:)

****Cole’s POV**

After much grumbling while washing the green sugar off of my feet and changing into my gi, I went to hang out in the hallway outside the bunkroom.  This was presumably to wait for Zane, but I really wanted to try to see Arwyn as she began her morning routine. 

Oh, how I wished that she could be the first person I’d see each morning when I woke from my dreams instead of the four amigos with whom I shared the bunkroom.  I heard a sudden round of laughter from there and didn’t even want to guess at what had brought it on.

Before long, her door opened, and Arwyn emerged barefooted into the hallway wearing a short, coral-colored robe made of a lustrous, clingy material.  Although the passageway was dimly lit, as always, she immediately zeroed in on where I leaned silently against the wall in the shadowy corner. 

Passing a hand through her uncombed locks, she blessed me with a sleepy smile that positively lit up her face.  “G’morning, Cole!  What are you up to so early?”  I swore her voice was like birdsong to me.

Walking toward her with a smile which I hoped wasn’t too big, I wanted to tell her the truth, “I’m waiting for my sun to rise, and you just did.”  But, like a coward, I spoke the other truth.  “Just waiting for Zane to head over to the kitchen.  He’s going to help me with frittatas for breakfast.”

She frowned a little at that.  “Frittatas?  I thought this was Zane’s day to cook.”

“It is, but I felt like doing something my dad used to cook every weekend, so the master’s gonna back me up.”  I didn’t want to be serving a mess to Arwyn.  Or the others, for that matter.

“Oh, well, good luck then,” she said brightly, reaching for the bathroom door handle.  “I’m sure it’ll be delicious!”

_She is so wonderful_ , I sighed blissfully to myself as I watched her duck into the little room. 

Arwyn always ate everything I cooked without a single snide comment and complimented me afterwards, instead of making fun of my culinary skills, or lack thereof, like other unnamed persons on this ship.  That alone was reason for me to love her, although I had a thousand others.

Lost in thought, I didn’t notice Zane had left the bunkroom until he passed me with an amused, inquisitive look as I stood in the middle of the corridor.  “Cole, are you in there?”

“Uh, yeah!  Let’s go,” I answered hastily.  Shaking my head at myself and to clear it, I followed him as he led the way.

I was about three steps behind my brother in white when he pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen, and the most god-awful, banging cacophony, like a small explosion, resounded through the kitchen and dining area. 

With a low cry of surprise, Zane threw himself back from the door and into a crouching, defensive stance, causing me to plow headlong into him in a less-than-dignified manner as I instinctively lunged forward to confront the assault. 

Alarmed and disconcerted, we bounced off of each other, barely keeping our footing, then glanced around quickly in embarrassment, checking to see if anyone had witnessed the comical result of our reactions.

Regaining my composure, I straightened my jacket and flipped my hair off of my brow,  whispering, “What the hell was _that?!”_

As I peered around Zane to the closed door, he recovered his dignified air and answered, “I am not certain, but I saw a flash of metal as I pushed open the door, then that horrendous clanging sounded.”  Standing on the hinge side of the door, he began to push the portal open with his hand in an exquisitely slow manner. 

_This is taking too long_ , I thought as I impatiently side-kicked the door, sending it banging against the kitchen wall, loudly scattering a dozen pots and pans all over the floor.  The place was otherwise empty. 

“What the…?!”  Perplexed, I stood in the doorway as Zane examined the door for any damage from my foot.

“Another prank, perhaps?”  He was inspecting something in his hand.  “Here is what was attached to the cooking vessels.  Clear filament, probably from the fishing gear.”  Looking next to the door, he deduced, “The pots were tied together on the counter nearby, then the filament was tacked to the door.  When I opened it, the motion pulled everything onto the floor.  Unnerving and clever.”

I jumped to a foregone conclusion right away.  “Clever, like a wanna-be engineer?”  I immediately assumed it was Jay, since…well, why wouldn’t I expect it to be him?! 

Not only that, but after building and hanging cabinets with Kai, I couldn’t really see his attention span lasting long enough to tie all of those pots and pans together, then fight with the door.

Probably trying to keep from implicating Jay and instigating trouble, Zane looked up and away from me without commenting.  Too late.  Between this and the warm-feet-in-the-cold-gelatin thing, I was about ready to kick Jay’s baby-blue butt. 

“Whatever,” I mumbled under my breath, heading over to retrieve the nearest pan and yanking it free from the others.  As Zane helped me pick up the rest, Jay, Lloyd, and Kai appeared in the doorway.

“What in the world _was_ that racket?!” Jay exclaimed right before I whirled to face him, pointing a skillet in his direction accusingly.

“As if you didn’t know!” I answered crossly.  “And it took you two long enough to get here!  If we’d been having actual trouble, Zane and I would be toast by now!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!”  Jay held his hands up defensively.  “You think _I_ did this?”  He looked at the remaining pots still spread out on the floor.  “What happened anyway, Mr. Crabs?”

Skipping over our collision outside the door, Zane briefly explained the prank as I gathered ingredients for the frittatas, fuming the whole time.  Of course, all three maintained their innocence while laughing their tails off, then left us to our breakfast-making.

Trying to let go of the testiness I was feeling, I concentrated on preparing for the meal, chopping the ham and asparagus while Zane got the utensils ready.  We worked in a comfortable silence.  Until he went to crack the eggs into the mixing bowl.

“Well, this is curious,” I heard him comment.   Stopping my dicing, I glanced over at the color-free ninja as he placed an egg on the counter, lifted another from the carton, and struck it against the rim of the bowl with a dull crack.

I watched him with growing interest as he scrutinized the hen apple in his hand for a moment before he met my gaze, saying, “They seem to be boiled.”

“…Are you kidding me?!”  Staring at him blankly for a second, I tried to comprehend what he was talking about when it hit me.  Another frickin’ prank. 

Quickly grabbing several random eggs from the four-and-a-half dozen on the ship, I cracked them on the counter, getting the same result from each.  They were all boiled.

_Gimme a break here!_  

Closing my eyes and placing both hands on the counter, I gritted my teeth to keep from cursing around Zane.  There went my frickin’ frittata.

“Perhaps we can try another morning,”  Zane said regretfully, trying to keep me from losing my cool.  “After we buy more eggs.  In the meantime, a sautéed-asparagus-ham-and-egg salad with bagels would also be nice for breakfast.”  I just looked at him with a resigned frown. 

But, as usual, he was right.  Our concoction was pretty good, and everyone appeared to truly appreciate it, since there was none left afterwards. 

As we ate, Kai merrily caught Arwyn, Nya, and Sensei up on the other two pranks, and I let Zane explain why he chose the form of breakfast we were enjoying.

Arwyn was nice enough not to laugh too much, remarking that she felt sorry for me for having been subjected to all three mischievous tricks within little more than half an hour and that she had been looking forward to my frittatas.

Nya just laughed herself silly, and Sensei chuckled, commenting only that he supposed our next meal would contain boiled eggs, also.  We were actually planning on tuna-and-egg-salad sandwiches.

Everyone wondered who could be the culprit, while I eyed Jay with very little doubt as he scarfed his egg-salad-and-bagel sandwich with shameless gusto.   How could I prove it?

After breakfast, we began training as usual, nothing special.  Close to lunchtime, Zane, Jay, and Arwyn took the prow for elemental training, while Kai and I were sparring in our usual uniforms near the stern. 

We had been going at it pretty energetically on this very warm morning, finally slowing down on this session after about half an hour for a water break.  Pulling off our hooded helmets and masks, we headed for the water cooler between the stairways for a cool drink. 

I didn’t notice anything different about Kai for a minute, I honestly don’t spend a lot of time looking at him, but when I was chugging my second mug and saw his greasy ‘do plastered to his head, I almost choked.

Laughing between coughs, I wiped water from my chin and vest armor.  “Uh, Kai, your hair’s a little…flat.”  He looked like a slimy rat.

Looking at me strangely, he answered sarcastically, “Well, der, we’re sweating buckets.”

“No, worse than that, smart-ass,” I shot back, causing him to self-consciously lift a hand and begin to run it through his slick mop, stopping halfway, horrorstruck.

“What _IS_ this in my hair?!” he nearly shouted, jerking his shiny hand down to take a look at it.  The trio in the prow paused momentarily to check us out with curiosity from across the deck.

Rubbing his lubricated fingers together, then back through his limp, oily hair, the firestormer almost lost it, turning more crimson than he already was from the heat and exertion of our fighting.  “WHAT IS THIS?!” he repeated irately while I tried not to laugh too hard directly in his face.

Picking up his helmet from the deck, I peered into it.  “Geez!  The stuff is all over in here!”  I swiped a finger through the inside, taking a sample of a clear, slippery substance.  Rubbing it between my finger and thumb, I surmised, “Seems like petroleum jelly.”

Snatching his helmet from me, Kai brought it to his face, crying with dismay, “ _WHAT?!_   That stuff’ll _never_ come out of there!  Who the hell would _do_ this?!”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I gave him a self-assured look, then raised an eyebrow while gazing in the lightning ninja’s direction.

Highly peeved, Kai turned on his heel abruptly and headed toward the stairway to below deck.  “Hey!” I yelled at his back.  “Where do you think you’re going?” 

“To wash this junk out of my hair and helmet!” he snapped back impatiently over his shoulder.

“But, we’re not nearly done here!”

“YES, WE ARE!”  Pausing at the top step, Kai gestured toward the prow and the three ninja staring at him from there.  “And as for whoever did this, _watch your back!_   You have to sleep sometime!”  With that, he disappeared.  I was just glad I wasn’t involved in the prank this time. 

A little over an hour later, I went to the bunkroom to let Kai know lunch was ready.  I hadn’t seen or heard from him since he’d stomped down the stairway, and found him standing in just his gi pants, rubbing his head dry with a towel. 

Seeing him shirtless, I was really glad we always trained in full uniform.  I didn’t think I could take having him strut his stuff around in front of Arwyn like that.  It was bad enough she had seen him in nothing but her shorts. 

_Of course, I **still** look better than he does_ …

Mentally face-palming, I knew I seriously needed to work on getting rid of some insecurities.  _Get back to the present here!_  

“Kai, lunch is ready.  You’ve been in here for an hour.  Has it really taken you this long to clean that junk out of your hair and helmet?”

He gave me a look of impatient annoyance like I was an idiot.  “I haven’t even _touched_ my helmet yet!”  Fuming, he threw the towel to the floor.  “It took me several minutes just to figure out why the shampoo didn’t look or smell the same and why it wouldn’t make suds.  That was because it was CORN SYRUP!” 

I was clenching my jaws so hard I was afraid I’d break a tooth, while I tried not to laugh, much less smile, at his aggravating situation as he paced around the room. 

“Then I had to get out of the shower and drip everywhere to find the _actual_ shampoo, which was hidden _behind_ the towels in the cabinet!” he continued.  “After that, I had to shampoo my hair _five times_ before it didn’t feel greasy anymore!  It’ll probably take my entire jar of hair putty to make it look decent!”

Not being successful at keeping the amused grin from my face, I covered it with a hand as he turned toward me and pointed his finger angrily in my direction.  “When I find out who did this, I am _seriously_ gonna hurt him!  What _you_ did to me was bad enough, but _nobody_ messes with my _hair!_ ”

Alarms were starting to go off here.  I brought my hands up and spoke calmly in an effort to keep this raging wildfire from blazing out of control.  “Whoa!  Take it easy, Kai.  This was meant as a joke, remember?  Let’s not get angry and violent.  If you like, I’ll help you out and clean your helmet for you.” 

He caught his shirt when I tossed it to him.  “For now, just cool down and let me buy you a sandwich.”  Opening the door, I motioned for him to enter the hallway ahead of me, wondering why Jay was willing to risk life and limb for a few immature practical jokes.

A few minutes later, we were in the dining area partaking of our second boiled-egg-based meal.  Kai, the nicest-smelling of the bunch, was also the grumpiest, but he was hungry, so he ate instead of threatening anyone, namely Jay, who sat directly across from him. 

I quieted everyone’s questions about his unusually tame hair, saying I’d explain later.  No one pressed the issue and as much as I looked for clues to support Jay’s guilt, I saw nothing. 

I did, however, notice when he began to make unusual movements with his tongue and mouth.  He was working on his second tall glass of tea and had eaten almost half of his first sandwich when he began licking his lips and pressing them together in an odd way. 

I finally couldn’t stand watching him any longer without commenting on it and was about to do that, but Sensei was ahead of me.  “Jay, are you in some distress?” 

He jerked his head in our direction, and his face reddened as everyone turned their attention to him.  “Wh-whaddoo you mean?”  His speech seemed thick-tongued. 

“What’s up with your mouth?” I put in plain words.  “And you sound a little slurred.”

“You look like a gasping fish!” declared Lloyd next to me.  I nudged him with my elbow, and he quietly went back to his lunch.

Jay blushed more, covering his lips with his fingertips, and glanced over to Nya at his side who regarded him curiously.  “I-I doan know.  My lipth, my tong, my whole mouth ith getting numb.”

Arwyn looked up from her sandwich with concern upon hearing his speech.  Jay leaned back to see her since Nya sat between them.  “Could thith be thomthin  theriouth?” he asked anxiously.

She considered a moment.  “Are you allergic to anything?”

“No!”

“Well, mouth numbness could be caused by a number of things.  A neurological problem, like a stroke, toxic food poisoning from certain types of fish, anaphylaxis from food allergies, eating hot peppers…”

“You think I could be habing a throke?!”  It was seriously funny how he almost came unglued at that suggestion.

“Take it easy, Jay!”  Arwyn smiled and motioned with a hand to try to calm him.  “I doubt seriously you’re having a stroke!”

“Wad aboud doxic fith?”

“The tuna’s not toxic, Jay.”  She thought a second.  “Well, it probably has mercury in it, but…”

Zane got an odd look and squinted at Jay’s glass from his spot at the other end of the table.  Reaching out, he picked it up, observing, “There seems to be something smeared on the rim.”

“Ith it poithon?!” the blue ninja yelped in a panic.

Kai didn’t look up from his sandwich.  “I really hope no one beat me to it.”

Giving his comrades on either side of him a sidelong glance, Zane ran a finger along the rim, then onto the tip of his tongue.  Everyone at the table was still and quiet as we waited for his verdict.  “It could be a local anesthetic.”

Jay appeared confused.  “What ith that, and how ith it diffent from a long-dithanth one?”

I rolled my eyes as Arwyn chuckled.  “It’s something used to numb a skin or mucous membrane surface,” she explained.  “Like baby-teething gel.”

A flash of suspicion hit me at that, and I suddenly focused my gaze on the woman in front of me.  Everyone else peered over at her, also, and she quickly caught on, proclaiming indignantly, “What?  Like I’m the only one who could get that?  Stuff like baby-teething gel is sold everywhere, and every one of you has access to my medicine cupboard.  Don’t try to pin this on _me!”_

Nya cocked her head.  “She’s right.  I helped myself to some of that last week for a mouth ulcer that was really bothering me.”  Jay cast her an accusing eye.  “But I didn’t do _this,_ so watch that look!” she warned him.

Lloyd laughed as he swallowed the last of his lunch.  “Maybe someone’s trying to tell you to give your mouth a rest, Jay!”

The latest prank victim ignored him, addressing Arwyn, “How long ith thith gone to lath?”

Sighing with a smile, Kai commented, “Not _nearly_ long enough!”

“Less than a couple of hours, then you’ll be good as new,” she reassured him.  “Just be careful when you’re drinking anything, or it’ll be all over you.”

Frowning in frustration, Jay resumed eating his meal, eyeing each of us with suspicion, as Nya kindly offered to pour him more tea and rose from the table to get him a clean glass. 

On my right, Sensei was quietly shaking his head, probably considering how immature his band of warriors actually was. 

Meanwhile, I had my first shadow of a doubt that Jay could be the practical joker.  Would he be likely to do _this_ to himself?  Talking meant too much to him. 

As I watched her calmly finish her lunch, I felt like a heel for even considering Arwyn.  _There’s just no way._


	16. Ooh!  So Close!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game of "Torment the Ninja" continues until someone gets busted with a surprising encounter.

****Cole’s POV**

The rest of the day and evening went by prank-free.  But we four ninja were pretty paranoid anyway, eyeballing each other with distrust, checking over our shoulders, carefully opening doors and drawers, sniffing body wash and shampoo, peering inside boots and armor, and examining utensils at suppertime.  It was kinda pathetic. 

At bedtime, I checked under my bunk and threw back the covers to look for booby traps before lying down.  The others laughed briefly, then thought better of ridiculing me and did the same.  Better to be safe, than sorry.  All was well, and we were able to relax enough to drift off to sleep.

Funny how long it can take you to figure out what some noise is when you’re in the middle of a dream.  A good one, too.  After a thrilling ride on Rocky, I was alone with Arwyn in a secret forest glade with a gourmet picnic on a blanket.  For hours. 

But what was that frickin’ noise?!

I woke as I was rolling out of my bed onto the floor, taking the sheets with me, about the time Zane was smacking the snooze button.  As I rose from my hands and knees, he regarded me bleary-eyed.  “You usually sleep a lot less soundly.  It took you quite a while to wake.”

“I was in the middle of something,” I mumbled.  _And I want to get back to her soon!_

“Uh, huh.”  He observed me for a moment while I pulled my bed linens from the floor.  “Is there some reason you may have set the alarm for this particular ungodly hour?”

I squinted at the alarm clock.  _Two-twenty-eight?!  Why does that number seem significant?_

Straining to see his face in the dark, I was hoping he could see the mocking expression on mine.  “What do _you_ think?”  Kai, Jay, and Lloyd were all complaining in the audience.

“I was hoping there was a reason other than that we just got pranked again,” he sighed resignedly as he reset the clock for our usual five-thirty.

Rubbing my face with both hands, I growled to the others, “Anybody want to man up and confess to this?”

 _“Seriously?”_ Jay whined.  “You can’t think one of us would actually wake _ourselves_ up at this idiotic time, do you?!”  _Just checking_. 

This stunt was making things look bad for Nya or Arwyn.  Or Sensei.  _Ha_.  I was too tired to think about it now.  Crawling back into bed, we settled down and passed out again.

I never get to go back to a dream once I’ve awakened from it, but, thankfully, I did that time.  Rocky was lying quietly near Arwyn and me on the edge of the forest glade while we spent some ‘quality time’ on the blanket. 

Soon he started making this irritating peeping that just got louder and louder.  I really missed Rocky.  With every wadded-up article of clothing I threw at him.

“Cole!  Get up!  It’s your turn!”  I was looking down into Arwyn’s beautiful face, her soft, ebony hair spread out on the blanket around her head and bare shoulders.  While I pondered what she meant by that, I was rudely wrenched away from her by a pillow thrown from across the bunkroom. 

Promptly sitting straight up in the bed, I narrowly missed hitting my head on the underside of the bunk above me.  The beeping of the alarm clock could still be heard although my bunkmates were trying to drown out the sound with their yelling.

“ _Ohmigod!_  Which one of you _cretins_ is _doing_ this crap?!” vented Kai from his upper bunk. 

_Yeah, you can yell like that, but **you** can’t get up to turn it off? _

Stumbling to the dresser, I noted the time.  _Three-seventeen?  Seriously?_   _Why **this** time?_  Swatting the clock, I grouched at Zane, “I thought you set this for five-thirty?”

“I did,” he grumbled back from under his pillow.  That’s when I noticed there were actually two alarms set.  It had a second-alarm feature we never bothered to use, but apparently someone else had. 

_Well played._

I briefly considered going to bang a pot over the two sleeping beauties down the hall, and something like that was suggested by the others, but that would just get Sensei involved, and what if we were wrong?  What if the perpetrator _was_ one the blockheads in the room with me?

After double-checking the set alarm, I sighed and crawled back into my bed.  The others had quieted down, but Jay decided he wanted to talk. 

“You sure are sleeping hard tonight, Cole,” he stated with an amused lilt to his voice.  “What’re you dreaming about?”

“Don’t worry about it.  Go back to sleep.”  I was hoping to get back to it, but doubted I could get lucky a third time.

He shifted around above me.  “I bet it’s about a woman,” he snickered. 

_Like I’m gonna tell you._

Kai had to throw in his uncalled-for comments.  “Cole wouldn’t dream about a woman.  He never even asks one out, even when they throw themselves at him!”

“Shut up, Kai,” I growled in warning as I punched my pillow and plopped my head down on it, preparing to get back to the one who _didn’t_ throw herself at me.  “You’re no better.”

“I dream about women, and I’ve never gone out with any.”  Lloyd’s announcement had my eyes popping open in surprise.  I guessed everyone else had done the same.

Awkward.  Silence.

“I dream about Nya and Arwyn all the time,” he continued.  And so did the awkward silence.

I was holding my breath, wondering how to tackle this possibly-delicate subject, when Kai helped me out.  “Umm…just what kind of dreams do you have about them, Lloyd?” he asked hesitantly.

Lloyd was in the mood to share.  “Mostly about things we do every day, like when Nya teaches me about maps or lets me help her repair an engine while she gripes that Jay’ll never get to it.”

“What?!” came indignantly from above me.

“Or when Arwyn plays games with me or is teaching me about anatomy and fiscology,” he continued.

I thought hard for a second.  “Do you mean _physiology,_ Lloyd?”

“Yeah, something like that.  It means how your body works.”  He paused a moment.  “But, she didn’t spend a lot of time on the reproductive system.  She said you would explain that part more to me later, Cole.”  _Well, crud_.  Snorting echoed from the two top bunks.

“Anything else, Lloyd?” prodded Zane. 

 _Please, nothing else_ …I didn’t know if I really wanted to hear this.

There was silence a moment.  “Uh, no.  G’night!”  He pulled his blankets up and put his back to us, leaving us trying to remember what fantasies a ten-year-old boy might dream about. 

Apparently Zane was nosier this morning than he was sleepy.  “Surely you dream more about them than that.” 

 _Does he_ really _want to stir this up?_ “Uh, Zane…” 

Lloyd rolled over to face us.  “Well…”  I braced myself for the worst.  “I dream about fighting the Serpentine with them, sometimes.  Like when Nya was fighting as Samurai X or when Arwyn protected me a few nights ago.”  _Thank goodness, it’s about fighting!_

“You should have seen that!  She jumped on that first snake, yelling like the bunch of you do when you’re really focused during training, and got him right in the head with her tanto!  Then the one who hit me in the mouth got it, too!  It was so cool!”  He was so animated, I wondered if he’d be able to get back to sleep. 

“Right after that, she grabbed me and threw me behind her when the others surrounded us, and then Cole and Kai finally got there!”  ‘ _Finally’._   “So, yeah, I have dreams like that, too.”

“Heh.  Are we ever in your dreams?” Jay asked like he felt neglected.

Lloyd was less than enthusiastic on that subject.  “Yeah.  You’re there, too, somewhere.”  Apparently we ‘Masters’ were only supporting back–up to his two leading ladies.

Not caring either way, Kai yawned loudly.  “Okay, enough.  Let’s try to get a few more winks before the freakin’ clock screams again.”  _Great idea_.

As I settled down to try to sleep again, I was at least content knowing that, although he had no mother, Lloyd had two really positive and caring female role models helping raise him right now.  Maybe he would get through puberty with a more optimistic view of women than I had had.

We managed to make it through the next two hours without another untimely awakening, although I slept fitfully, without dreaming.  We pretty much all did.

Neither Arwyn nor Nya acted guiltily at breakfast when they were told why we all looked like we’d had very little sleep, actually expressing a great deal of mirth over the latest episode of ‘Torment the Ninja’.

Kai was the only one with the nerve to suggest that Nya and Arwyn were responsible for the pranks.  Actually, he outright accused them of it to their faces, causing the rest of us to plan escape routes. 

Of course, they vehemently denied this possibility, adding that, if he continued this line of thought, they would make him the target of a new barrage of practical jokes, including, but not limited to, changing his hairstyle as he slept and lightly bleaching all of his uniforms.

It’s really sad to see a big, strong fire ninja backing down in fear, albeit grudgingly.

The rest of us wisely kept our theories to ourselves.  Zane kept quiet and observed everyone like he was collecting clues.  Jay made certain Nya knew that he absolutely did not entertain the same ideas.  I wasn’t so sure anymore, but I wasn’t gonna let either of the women know that.  I’m no idiot.

Sensei just dared us all with a look to even think about him being associated with the tricking.  I swear he was never one of my suspects.

The rest of the day went as usual as far as training, chores, and being ‘extra careful’, passing by without incident.  However, that just made me and the other three Masters more paranoid.

****Arwyn’s POV**

I had had my shower as soon as Cole had called it a day a little early after weight training.  The four guys had headed in different directions to take care of a couple of chores before they settled in for the evening.  When I got out of the bathroom wearing jogging shorts and a fitted T-shirt, they were still finishing up whatever, wherever.  It was a perfect opportunity for at least one last wee mission.

Exiting the guy’s bathroom into their bunkroom after having left a little something for whomever just _had_ to be first to the shower, I had to admit that I was somewhat cocky due to the fact that I had gotten away with so much so far. 

Cole’s gelatin foot bath was anxiety-provoking, since I didn’t expect to be able to get in and out of the bunkroom with a baking sheet without waking at least one of my ever-alert guardians.  Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to do just that, meaning all of the training they had been putting me through was actually coming in handy.

As a bonus, I had been able to watch Cole as he slept for a couple of minutes before I got too nervous and went back to bed.  He was so peaceful and gorgeous it was hard for me to keep myself from entwining my fingers in his hair and…Geez, I hoped that didn’t make me sound like a stalker!

Anyhoo, the other stunts hadn’t been really easy to execute, either.  The one with the pots and pans and boiled eggs had made me miss a decent amount of sleep and forced me to be really quiet. 

I ended up regretting the egg thing since I screwed up Cole’s plan for frittatas without meaning to do so.  I probably owed him an apology for that one later.

Kai’s helmet hadn’t been easy to access, either.  When it wasn’t on his head, it was usually in the armoire in the bunkroom.  I hadn’t been brave enough to try getting to it at the same time I’d pranked Cole, but I did get a hand on it between training sessions that morning when we all took a water break. 

He set it down a moment, and I grabbed it, making it to the infirmary and back in one minute before anyone noticed anything.  I got really lucky with that one. 

Jay’s teething gel had been an easy one.  I set the table in full view of everyone, and, voila!  The hand was quicker than the eye.

The alarm clock was the easiest, though.  No one knew a thing as they played video games before bedtime, and I plotted to make a shambles of their sleep patterns using my birthdate and Cole's backwards as alarm times.

But this was probably my last silly escapade, then I’d let them stew for a while before coming clean.  Maybe.  At least that’s what I was thinking when I suddenly realized that the feeling of Cole’s element was growing steadily stronger.

I heard him call up to someone on the main deck from the corridor.  When he answered them again, he sounded closer to me.  At that point, it occurred to me that I was about to get _busted_.

 _Crud!  Where the heck can I hide?  No room in the armoires or under the beds!  Probably too crowded with dust bunnies, anyway!  The bathroom?  Shower?  Go!_  

I raced inside and slipped silently behind the opaque shower curtain, hoping he was just coming to the bunkroom to retrieve something before going back out for a minute.  No such luck.

Hearing him enter the bunkroom, then rummage around in there a minute or two, I stood quietly in the shower stall.  Then he entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him, walking to the lavatory as he hummed something I didn’t recognize.

_OMG!  What is he in here to do?  Just a shower, or …something else?!  This is going to be so humiliating to at least one of us!  Don’t breathe, don’t move!_

My heart was pounding as I knew I was about to be apprehended, but I refused to surrender without a fight.  At least it was Cole. 

_Maybe if I put up enough of a struggle, he’ll have to take me down…_

Willing myself to calm down before I started hyperventilating, I watched Cole’s shadowy form through the light-colored curtain as he stood at the lavatory a couple of minutes, evidently messing with his face and hair in the mirror.

When I thought I had things under control, I lost it again as he turned away from the sink and lifted his arms, peeling off his shirt. 

_O. M. G… He’s undressing!  He’s about to strip and get into the shower!  Now what?  Should I say something?  Should I stop him? … Nah.  At least wait till he gets down to his shorts._

Feeling like I about to pass out, either from holding my breath, or the idea that Cole was about to be naked in this bathroom, I chewed on my lower lip while I watched his dark outline probably working on the knotted drawstring of his pants.  

To my regret, he suddenly stopped untying and humming and stood perfectly still.  I didn’t think I had moved or made a sound.  The little room was very quiet. 

Incredibly quiet.

 _What is he doing?  What did he hear?_ I couldn’t hear a thing except my racing pulse in my ears. 

And the shower curtain being jerked back. 

He had moved so swiftly, I jumped back a bit in surprise, causing one foot to slip a tad on the damp shower floor.  In an instant, Cole’s hands were on either side of my waist, steadying me.  I caught his bare forearms with both hands and met his taken-aback, but amused, look under his wind-blown bangs.  “Arwyn?  What are you doing in here?”

He stood so close to me, alluringly naked from the waist up, with the drawstring of his low-riding pants untied, holding me at the waist.  This was **_so_** much better than when he was shirtless in the infirmary!  Such _sweet_ torture!

I had never thought it plausible for damsels in the movies and novels to swoon at the feet of their sweethearts.  Nevertheless, I was rethinking that as I shamelessly took in his handsome face and his beautifully-sculpted abdomen, chest, and shoulders, feeling my legs getting rubbery.

His greenish-grey eyes held a concerned look.  “Arwyn, are you okay?”  _Oh, yeah!_   I accomplished a small nod and a sheepish grin.  “What are you doing in here?” he repeated.

Knowing it was _way_ too late to salvage my dignity, I began grasping at straws.  “Uh, borrowing…dandruff shampoo!” I declared as I grabbed a blue bottle from the shower shelf.

“Really…” I could tell from his skeptical appearance he wasn’t convinced.

“I was, uh, checking for mildew, too.  Gotta little in the corner there…”  He hadn’t taken his hands from my waist yet, nor was he falling for the shower-inspection angle.  “How did you know I was in here?”

“The corner of the shower curtain wasn’t tucked in.  It’s never _not_ tucked.”  I kept a firm grip on his lower arms instead of placing my hands on his shoulders as he lifted me gently from the shower and set me down with my back to the bathroom door. 

I didn’t trust myself to touch anything else since I was already staring raptly at the rippling muscles under his olive skin.

“You ninja are a little OCD about some things, huh?” I responded flippantly once he had dropped his hands from my waist, and I was able to catch my breath.

****Cole’s POV**

I hadn’t wanted to, but I removed my hands from her waist before they went anywhere else while I ignored her last sarcastic comment, checking her out as I did so.

After considering how well the Green Ninja might battle in a uniform of tight T-shirts and running shorts, I dragged myself back to the issue at hand.  “Um, care to explain yourself, miss?”

Tearing her wide eyes from my bare chest, she met my gaze as she backed herself against the door with a single move.  I had tried to teach her better than that.  “Not really.”  Her answer was just louder than a whisper.

With a matter-of-fact expression, I asked, “So, are you the prankster?”  One small step put me close enough again to smell the citrus-scented body wash she’d used earlier.

Folding her arms in front of her, she tilted her head and smiled defiantly.  “I refuse to incriminate myself.”

“Okay.  Sure.  Care to tell me _why_ you’ve been pranking?”  Placing my left hand on the door near her head, I leaned closer to her, our faces inches apart.

Her smile broadened and grew more confident as she lifted her chin higher.  “I still refuse.”

Reaching up with my right hand, I snagged a dark curl resting on her collarbone and slowly wrapped the silken tress around my index finger.  “I think you have little choice but to confess to this, since you got caught red-handed.” 

She glanced at my hand twirling the curl, and I could see her swallow hard before she gazed back up at me, a tad less confident than before.  “Caught doing what, precisely?  Inspecting the shower?”  Glancing at my mouth, she lightly bit her lower lip.

I wasn’t known for my impulsivity, but realizing that this was one opportunity with Arwyn that Sensei Wu was _not_ going to ruin made me feel rather bold and reckless.

Still, I knew, I knew, _I knew_ that I was playing with fire, that this situation could get out of hand quickly.  My old mantra was screaming in the back of my mind, but my new resolve to soon expose my heart and soul to her was busy beating it senseless.

And yet, as much as I wanted to be able to tell her everything that was in my heart, did I want to do it _here_?  In the _guys’ bathroom_?

I tugged lightly on the lock around my finger, wanting so badly to pull her against me and bury my face in her neck and hair I could barely stand it.  Shocked at the strength of my self-discipline, I somehow managed to curb that. 

Lowering my head a bit closer to hers, the corner of my mouth curved upward as I said slowly, “You’re not baking cookies.  What were you up to?” 

Arwyn glanced sideways at me a little nervously, but kept up the sassy act.  “Not a thing.”  Her grin was still awfully cheeky.

Releasing the curl, I gently pushed her hair away from her left ear and off of her shoulder, grazing her neck with my fingertips.  She stiffened the slightest bit and drew a breath as I moved in ever closer and placed my mouth by her ear. 

My voice sounded huskier than usual as I said quietly with a smug smile, “I’ll make a deal with you…Tell me what Jay knows, and I won’t tell everyone that you’re the prankster.”

I thought I had her right where I wanted her, but little did I know it was the other way around.  When she placed her warm palm lightly on my abdomen, causing a hitch in my breath, I expected her to push me away reprovingly.

Instead, she slid her open hand agonizingly slowly up to the middle of my chest, sending a shock like electricity through my entire body, stimulating every nerve ending. 

Closing my eyes, I knew she could feel my heart slamming against her palm when she turned her face toward mine.  Her soft lips brushed against my cheek at the corner of my mouth.  I tried to meet them with my own, but she eluded me and breathed in my ear, “Umm…No deal.” 

My knees nearly buckled.

I caught myself, swiftly placing both hands on the door on either side of Arwyn to hold myself up.  My head was still bowed by hers with our cheeks touching, my breath coming faster than I intended.  Standing so near to her, I could feel her warmth along the length of my body, making me ache. 

How was it that a simple touch from this woman had sapped my enormous strength, leaving me trembling and weak?  “Arwyn…I…”

“Kai,” she whispered as her other hand joined the first on my chest. 

“What?!”  My head snapped up as I was jolted back to reality at the inopportune mention of my brother’s name.  _My name is **Cole** , dammit!_ I thought irately.  How could she be thinking about _him?!_

Gently pushing me back a touch, I was calmed immediately as she explained breathlessly, “He’s coming.  Probably already in the bunkroom."  Her eyes were dark, her face holding what I thought was a look of longing and regret.

As if on cue, there was knocking on the other side of the door, followed by Kai’s questioning voice, “Cole?  Are you talking to yourself in there?  That’s cool with me, but just a little strange for you.” 

_Seriously?  Was he sent by Sensei?_

Pushing off of the door, I forced myself to back away from Arwyn, our eyes fixed on each other.  “Every damn time…,” I muttered.  She cocked her head and shrugged a shoulder with her mouth set in a line. 

 _Better answer him._   “No problem, Kai.  Just coming out,”  I said loudly as I turned my back to her, grabbed my shirt from the floor, slipped it on, and retied my drawstring _.  If I can walk straight_. 

Looking hopefully at Arwyn over my shoulder I asked, “Are you sure you’d rather I exposed you than just tell me the secret?”  

She shrugged again, smiling a little while raising an eyebrow.  “Whatever.  But if you don’t, how will you explain our being in the bathroom together?”  She had a point there.

Exhaling audibly, I stepped past her and through the door into the bunkroom, hoping the flush had left my countenance.  Kai stood there, waiting for the shower, an inquisitive look on his face.  “Everything okay in there?”

“Yeah.  I caught the prankster,” I admitted reluctantly as I pulled the door partially closed behind me.

“What?!  Is he in the bathroom?  Who the heck is it?” he demanded as Jay and Zane walked into the bunkroom behind him, narrowing the list of suspects.

Not really wanting to throw Arwyn to the wolves, but knowing I couldn’t get her out of there any other way, I took a deep breath and prepared to unveil our tormentor.

Behind me, I heard Jay say, “I will just die if Sensei walks out of there!”

Opening the door, I leaned into the bathroom to find Arwyn standing near the toilet, comparing the width of her hips to the diameter of the round porthole window over the tank. 

Guessing what she was considering, I reached her in three long steps.  “You can’t go out the window!  Get over here!” I ordered, taking her by the arm to pull her into the bunkroom.  She didn’t resist, only cast her eyes grudgingly one last time at the window. 

 _As if…_ We weren’t even over water.

Kai’s expression was one of disbelief when we entered the bunkroom.  “Arwyn?  You?  But…what were you two doing in the bathroom?”  His smirk spoke volumes.  Jay and Zane’s reactions were much the same.  Well, Zane, not so much.

“I found her hiding in the shower after doing who knows what,” I answered quickly, giving Arwyn a mock stern look.

“I have not admitted, nor _will_ I admit, to anything!” Arwyn insisted adamantly with a glint of granite in her brown eyes, placing her hands on her hips.

Obviously miffed, Kai spouted, “Seriously?  _You_ put the petroleum jelly in my helmet?  That took _forever_ to wash out of my hair, not to mention the time it took Cole to clean  my helmet!”  Shaking his finger at her, he added, “And thanks a _lot_ for the bonus of hiding the shampoo!”  

Arwyn gave herself away with a roll of her eyes and a wave of dismissal.  “Eh, look at it as spring cleaning.  Did you smell that thing?  It was _time_.”

Not seeing the humor in it all, the hothead growled in frustration while shaking his fists by his sides.  “Aagghhh!  I can’t even _pound_ you for that!”

With her hands back on her hips, Arwyn stepped toward him with a challenging glare.  “Well, you could **_try_** …”

Meeting her halfway until their foreheads were nearly touching, Kai grinned vengefully.  “Aren’t you worried about retaliation?”

“Bring it,” she dared him with a sneer.  Jay was excitedly goading them on the sidelines, while Zane stretched out on his bunk with his hands behind his head, grinning at the spectacle. 

Deciding to intervene before this became hand-to-hand combat, I thrust an arm between them, maneuvering the Green Ninja safely away from the fireball.  “Oh-kay, this isn’t how we play nice.”

“Aw, come on!” Jay exclaimed with disappointment.  “I wanted to see Kai get his tail kicked!”

“I’ll kick _yours_ right now!” Kai snapped.

“Save it for the next sparring match,” I reproved him with a frown.

Zane chuckled lightly from his bunk.  “Sofiya said it was probably you, Arwyn.  You pulled the egg thing on her a couple of years ago.”

She scowled at his remark.  “Nuts!  I forgot about that one!” 

 _Which reminds me_ …Grabbing her by the shoulders, I turned her to face my admonishment.  “You ruined my chance to do frittatas!”

Arwyn held out her hands in a gesture of entreaty.  “I’m sorry!  It wasn’t supposed to be your day to cook!”  Going back to Zane, she asked curiously, “Why didn’t you rat me out?”

He shrugged coolly.  “Eh.  I thought I would let you have your fun.  You were not harming anything.”  Sitting up, he continued, “Besides, it made Sofiya laugh to hear what you had been doing.  I love to hear her laugh.  And she misses you.”

Her face clouded over briefly, and I suddenly realized that in the four and a half weeks she had been on the _Bounty,_ Arwyn had only met with her friend once, and she had not seen her parents at all.  She obviously missed them all, too.

Totally oblivious to her sudden slump, Kai was still smoldering. “You deserve payback for aggravating us so much!”

Shaking off her melancholy, Arwyn objected with fervor.  “Excuse me, but this was to get you all back for leaving me—” she put on the brakes with a sly grin.  “Oops, did I say that out loud?  I meant, it was to lighten the mood around here after the battle the other night.”

I looked down at her as she smiled sweetly around the room, then up at me.  “Uh, huh.”  At least I now knew for certain why she’d done it.  “Maybe you should go ahead and do something for Kai, since you pissed him off the most, just to dampen the flames,” I suggested.  _And keep him off my back_ …

Rolling her eyes and feigning boredom, Arwyn responded, “Fine.  What do you want me to do?”

“You’re cleaning our bathroom for me…,” Kai stated with a conniving look.

“I’ve been in there.  I’m not scared,” Arwyn retorted.

“…in a week.  And you will be,” he finished with an amused sneer.

As she gave him a dirty look with little fear, I shook my head and went to grab a towel and toiletries from the bathroom.  Starting for the hallway, and hauling Arwyn by the arm behind me, I announced to the guys, “I’ll go to the other bathroom while you three clean up in here.”

Once we were in the passageway, I checked out Arwyn in my peripheral vision as I headed for the bathroom and she for her room.  “At what point were you going to make your presence known to me in the bathroom?”

Her step faltered, like she was not anticipating that question.  “Umm…”

Kai’s slightly-muted voice sounded from the direction of the bunkroom.  “Ugh!  She covered the toilet seat with conditioner!”  He paused as I gave her a little frown.  “At least I _hope_ that’s conditioner!”

She smiled back at me enigmatically.  “Not a minute too soon.” 

As she escaped into her bedroom, I thought about her answer for a moment before I headed into the bathroom wondering if I needed to apologize for anything and hoping the shower had a ‘frigid’ setting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for dropping by! Let me know you were here in the box below! :)


	17. What've I Got To Lose?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A misunderstanding arises after Cole and Arwyn's encounter in the guys' bathroom, leading Arwyn to grab for a little freedom after five weeks of being under the team's thumb.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_Holy cow.  What just happened?_

I leaned back against the bedroom door and slid down it until I was sitting on the floor.  Dazedly, I stared into space, lost in thought about how it had been with Cole a few minutes ago.

He was already **_sooo_** hot!  But in nothing but his black gi pants, which had barely stayed up on his trim, narrow hips, he had unknowingly been _infinitely_ more so as he’d stood there with his magnificently-carved upper body on full display, running a hand through that thick, ebony shag. 

His look had been confident and smoldering, his manner gentle, but commanding, his lips so full and inviting…The feeling of his earth element had been intense and palpable, all-enveloping, but not overwhelming.

I, on the other hand, had had trouble breathing, thinking, and standing up straight.  It took all of my focus to keep the trembling of my body from being heard in my voice.

Then his warm whisper on my ear and neck had begun my downward slide… 

The pace of his racing heartbeat under my hand had matched my own.  And when he was so close, his cheek caressing mine, our torsos and thighs brushing, with only a single layer of cloth between us, I had felt I was on the verge of collapsing against him. 

And then along came Kai’s intrusive heat to rescue Cole. 

_What did I almost do?_  

I knew what I had _wanted_ to do, and it was far from innocent!  The only reason I didn’t latch onto our sexy leader and refuse to let go back there was that I knew one of the guys was going to be banging on the door wanting the shower.

_He wanted to **kiss** me, to **touch** me!  Why didn’t I at **least** let him do **that?** _

A rational and honest answer popped up.  _Because, if you **had** , you would have tackled him to the floor, and Kai would have had to break things up with a bucket of water!_  _Or two_. 

Drawing up my legs, I hugged them and dropped my forehead to my knees.  I had almost done something I probably would have been ashamed of doing later. 

_What would have been wrong with that?  He **wanted** you!  It was **so** obvious… in more ways than one!  And it’s **not** like you don’t **want** him! _ stormed my id. _Just go **get** him!_   **_Take_** _what you want!_

_Yes, he **wanted** you, but he’s a **guy**!  He saw an opportunity, and he was nearly naked, and you weren’t discouraging him!  At **all**!  _ My superego wagged a finger _.  Of **course,** he was going to try that!  It **doesn’t** mean that you mean anything to him!  And **you** don’t need to be acting like… **that**!_

_Well, maybe you could act a **little** ‘like that’.  One kiss wouldn’t have been **so** bad, _ reasoned my ego.  _Maybe he would have told you how he felt, one way or the other. You could have kept things under control.   No problem._

_Oh, get real and refer to the bucket scenario again,_ retorted the superego. 

I was getting a headache.  And I needed to get a grip on myself.  But preferably one on Cole…

_Stop it, Arwyn!_

At suppertime, Cole made it to the table before I did, rising and giving me a warm and sensual smile when I arrived.  Well, to be honest, all of his smiles seemed warm and sensual to me.  Unless he was bearing down on me during training.  Or telling me I couldn’t do something I wanted to do since it wasn’t safe for me, blah, blah, blah.

He had little to say throughout the meal and spent a lot of time guardedly cutting his eyes at Sensei Wu as though our wise mentor knew about our provocative encounter.

_Surely he can’t know **everything** that happens on this ship?_   That could definitely put a damper on any fun in the future.

One topic of conversation during supper was my exposure as the persecutor of the ninja team.  Although I hoped I could see a smile under that mustache, _Chichi_ still chewed me in front of everyone about harassing my brothers, even if I thought it was justified. 

He was quick to remind me, however, that it was not, and that they had been doing their jobs by trying to insure my safety. 

_Yeah, that worked out real well._

Snickering to myself, I thought about how my teacher would have chewed me out _much_ more vigorously if he had known how badly I craved to harass _Cole._

When he was done, I glanced self-consciously around the table at the witnesses to my upbraiding.  Nya and Lloyd didn’t seem to quite understand why I was getting the scolding, but the other four knew very well how I’d been bucking being sheltered from the beginning.

I sincerely wanted to smack Kai and Jay for the way they gloated afterward, and let them know with a piercing, icy glare.  They simply returned this in an appropriate, mature way by sticking their tongues out at me. 

Appearing uncomfortable, Zane had a sympathetic expression, but Cole refused to look up altogether, apparently finding the food on his plate extremely interesting.  He was either avoiding another argument like the first we’d had in the bridge, or still feeling guilty for the Serpentine incident.

As soon as supper was over, Lloyd dragged out the chessboard, and he and I fought over it until bedtime.  With Nya keeping score, the rest of the team entertained themselves with a video-party-game tournament, but Cole was quickly eliminated. 

According to Zane’s observations, he didn’t seem to be very focused.  After our meeting in the bathroom, neither was I.

At the end of the evening, when Cole said we needed to call it a night, everyone headed to their respective sleeping quarters.  Although I was dog-tired from the long day of training, I dragged my feet on the way to mine, hoping I could see him for a moment before we retired.

He was last out of the game room and, to my delight, headed my way once he saw that all of his brothers had made it into the bunkroom.  When he wordlessly met me at my door with a little half-smile, I expected him to at least join me in the room, but he hung back uneasily at the threshold.

Surveying him briefly, I flopped onto the bed and propped myself on an elbow on my side, deciding to do my best to coax him in with my feminine charms.  “Would you like to come in and talk a minute?”  I tried to sound as casual as possible while teasingly patting the mattress.   _I dare you…_

Cole’s eyes skimmed over my reclining form before he swallowed, focused on the wall behind me, and answered, “Uh…no…I just want to let you know that, uh… I’m so-.”  He stopped, shaking his head the slightest bit, and took a breath.  “I mean, I need to…uh…apologize…for what happened.”  I noticed his element seemed a little heavy at the moment.

_What the hell?_   Hoping I didn’t look or sound disappointed, I asked, “Um…why?”

He dropped his head a bit, letting his bangs swing over his eyes.  “Because I acted no better than Jin Kita…or that guy in Miyagi…”

_Ugh._ My brow furrowed at the mention of dim-witted demons from my past.  “Keiji?” I supplied helpfully.

Cole’s head came up quickly, his eyes like flint.  “Keiji,” he repeated, as though filing the information away.  Nodding once and tensing his jaw, he continued, “Right.  I took advantage of a situation, and I shouldn’t have.  I almost…took advantage of you.  I don’t want to be in the same category.”  He stepped backward into the hallway.

_Excuse me, ‘took advantage’?_ Sitting up on the bed, I tried to argue.  “I beg to differ.  You’re not even close—”  But he didn’t give me a chance to get any further. 

“Maybe we’ll talk more about this tomorrow.”  Bringing his fingers up in a little wave, he produced a small smile.  “I need to speak with Sensei before he goes to bed.  Sleep well.”   

And that was it as he moved out of the doorway and left me staring into the dark, empty corridor.  No explanation, such as his being so attracted to me he couldn’t control himself, just that it was a situation of which he took advantage. 

_Ohmigod.  Is he saying it wasn’t **me** at all?  That it was just an **opportunity** for him?  The right place at the right time with **anyone?**   _

I felt like I couldn’t move for a minute.  I just sat there on the side of the mattress, stunned. 

What was that sound?  My world imploding?  My heart breaking?  My dreams of being with Cole being dashed at the craggy bottom of a cliff?

What an _idiot_ I was!  He was destined to be just the F-word to me.  A frickin’ _friend_.

Grabbing my pillow, I held it tightly over my face, muting my scream with the soft, stuffed cushion.  Finally running out of breath and feeling no better, I threw it against the dresser and sprang off of the bed. 

I gripped the metal door handle hard when I reached it, feeling it give a little more than usual under my hand, and cocked back, preparing to slam the door through the frame, hoping for flying splinters. 

Stopping myself in mid-swing, I closed my eyes.  _A tantrum is not going to help.  Even if he doesn’t feel about **you** the way you do about **him,** at least he cares enough to apologize for what he felt may have been unwelcome and inappropriate.  Even if he’s **dead wrong.**_

I smiled sadly, resting my forehead against the smooth wood of the door.  He was so sweet and considerate like that. 

In no way was I angry with _him_.  It wasn’t _his_ fault if he had no feelings for me.  I was pissed with fate for making me fall hopelessly in love with the man of my dreams when it was evidently _not_ going to be reciprocated. 

Willing myself to calm down, determined that no tears would be shed over this, I figuratively patted myself on the back for wisely _not_ giving in to Jay’s insistent advice and telling him how I felt long ago, thereby making matters worse. 

_Once bitten, twice shy._  

But how was I _possibly_ going to face him in the morning, knowing we apparently had no future together other than one as teammates?  How was I going to function living with him every day, loving him and not having him return my feelings?  Or, worse yet…watching him fall for someone else?  What kind of life was _this_ going to be?

_Stop it, stop it, STOP IT!!_

Fighting to shut down my mind, I gripped my head as though I felt it would explode, then felt the tell-tale sign of what I considered weakness. 

A damned tear made it past my lashes and fell to the floor. 

I gave up.

Quietly closing the door and flipping the light switch to ‘off’, I cloaked myself, and my pain, in darkness. 

* * *

It’s curious how the daylight usually makes problems from the previous night seem not quite as bad.  However, when you get up before the chickens, you don’t have that to help your mood.  Such was my state when I joined everyone for breakfast with my slightly-puffy eyes. 

In opposition to mine, Cole’s mood was sunny and bright.  In fact, his attitude was making me a bit ill as he happily greeted me at the table with a cup of coffee fixed just the way I liked it. 

_Hmmph_.  _He notices stuff like that?_  

I tried to be better at concealing my feelings, but I usually tended to have a hard time doing that when I was upset, so I just mumbled my thanks and sat to wait my turn to serve myself.  I wondered how he dared to be so freakin’ cheery when I had pretty much lost my hope of being with him.

He would have had to have been blind not to have picked up on my mood.  “Arwyn, what’s bothering you this morning?” he asked worriedly, pausing in his slathering of a biscuit with blackberry jam.

“Nothing, not a thing.”  I tried to lie convincingly and fabricated a smile as I added a scoop of scrambled eggs to my plate.  “I just didn’t sleep very well.”  _That_ wasn’t a lie.

He frowned a bit.  “I’m sorry to hear that.  I hope that doesn’t mess up your whole day.”

_Oh, that’s already been taken care of…_

“I’m sure I’ll manage.  No need to worry about me.”  He didn’t give the impression of being satisfied with my response as his brows knitted.  _Oh, well.  Deal with it._    

I glimpsed _Chichi_ on my left meditatively sipping his oolong with bergamot while he silently observed me over the rim of his cup, his brow furrowed.  _What the heck is **he** seeing?_

Casting my eyes down at my plate, I tried to think of something that I could do to make myself feel better as Cole and the others chatted quietly, gradually waking up over their breakfasts.

One thing that I thought might help me, at least for the time being, was our morning run since it tended to relieve stress, get rid of nervous energy, and make me feel better about myself.  When we were running, I could go over things that were on my mind if the guys weren’t being chatty, or completely empty my consciousness and just listen to them breathe.

It was especially enjoyable the last couple of days since Sensei had ordered the _Bounty_ moved northwest of our original location to an area west of Ninjago City near the edge of the Sea of Sand.  A mixed forest of hardwoods and evergreens began near our docking point. 

I had been so excited to see trees!  I had grown up on the northern edge of the vast Forest of Tranquility and missed the cool, verdant haven.  And I _hated_ the desert.

We were still less than an hour from Ninjago City, so obtaining supplies was not hindered by our change of scenery, and Zane had not objected, since he could still easily visit Sofiya.  God _forbid_ he should not be able to touch her for more than twenty-four hours!

I was also hoping that we may soon have an opportunity for her to be allowed to come for a visit, or that I could at least get a break from my floating wooden stockade to meet her.  I was missing her, too. 

When we had docked in the new spot the day before yesterday, or ‘All Pranks Day’, Cole had taken the team on a short scouting mission to check the area for potential problems.  And, of course, although I protested in vain, he insisted I stay behind. 

I had hung over the starboard railing the entire time they were gone, staring at the enchanting woodland, yearning to slip into the shaded, fragrant undergrowth amongst the tall, rough tree trunks and glory in being beneath the sheltering canopy.

Once they had come back from scouting, knowing I was dying to get into the forest, Cole had suggested we all go back for a short walk along an animal trail they had come across on the periphery of the wooded land.  I would have loved to have kissed him for that!  Actually, I’d just love to kiss him…

When we had gotten down there, it had been so comforting to me to smell the tangy pine and earthy humus, hear the engaging sounds of birdsong and small, skittering animals, and see the dazzling mosaic created by sunbeams cutting through the treetops.  It had been absolutely divine!

We had only been out there for little more than half an hour, when Cole said it was time to return to the ship.  As usual, the guys had ignored me when I informed them that I was not ready to leave the lush sanctuary.

So I had decided to make my stand in the center of the trail _.  “Please_ , couldn’t we stay just a _few_ minutes longer?” I implored Cole with the saddest puppy-dog eyes I could muster.

Barely giving me a second glance, Cole had noted the position of the sun, then checked his comlink watch, and shook his head as Jay, Kai, and Zane started back up the trace.  “There’re only a couple of hours of daylight left, we still have chores to do before suppertime, and I’m cooking tonight.  We need to get back _now.”_

Peeved, I had narrowed my eyes at him and spun on my heel in the opposite direction, continuing down the footpath, while sending obstinately over my shoulder, “Well, _I’m_ not ready to go yet.”

He had stepped up quickly behind me, his boots crunching in the fallen twigs and leaves.  “And _I’m_ not arguing,” was all he had said before I felt his firm hand on my arm, jerking me to a standstill, and whirling me about to face him. 

I had caught a glimpse of the determined look in his eyes, accompanied by the upward curve of one corner of his mouth, a split-second before he ducked down and pulled me over his unarmored, right shoulder.  Straightening as he lifted me with ease, he quickly and effortlessly trotted to catch up to the other turncoats.

Startled, I dangled over his muscular shoulder a moment as I stared at his equally-muscular, black-clad derriere, seeing the ground moving under us.  Realizing suddenly that I was being handled like a sack of rice, I struggled to right myself and slide off of his shoulder, while protesting huffily, “Put me down _now,_ you _brute!_   I can _walk_ , you know!” 

He only tightened his grip more securely where his right arm held my thighs.  “Oh, what, so you can run in the other direction again, I suppose?” he countered, barely panting as he loped after the guys.

_How dare he!_ I stopped struggling, lifted the hem of his jacket, and grabbed the waistband of his pants with one hand while reaching for his _Nice! Purple boxer briefs!_ with the other.  “Arwyn, no wedgies,” he warned with an unamused tone. 

_That’s what **you** think!_  Chuckling wickedly, I snatched the elastic of his glute-hugging boxer briefs, pulling it away from his skin, and catching a tantalizing glimpse of his firm, round bottom.  _OMG!_

“Arwyn!  No!”  Screeching to a stop in the trail did him no good as I pulled hard and fast on my fistful of soft, purple fabric.  “Dammit, dammit, _dammit!!_   Why did you have to go and _do_ that?!” he yelled as he reached back with his left hand, attempting to grab my offending one. 

Not releasing my hold on his unmentionables, I tried swatting his grasping hand away with my free one, but he kept intruding, so I finally grabbed his arm by the wrist, and held on tight.

So there we were.  He held me securely by the thighs over his right shoulder with his arm while I held his undies even more securely in my left hand.  My right hand gripped his left wrist behind his waist, and, although he struggled to free himself, I wasn’t letting go. 

_Hmm, I must be getting stronger to be able to restrain the Master of Earth…_

Squirming in his uncomfortable predicament, Cole barked at me as I laughed hysterically.  “Arwyn, let _go!_   Let go of my shorts!  _NOW!”_

Taking a breath, I yelled back, “Not unless you put me down!”

“I’m _not_ putting you down to run off!  You’re _hur_ -ting me!  _Let go!”_

“Oh, poor _baby!_   Put me _down!”_   For emphasis, I pulled a little harder on the stretchy material.

He writhed more, turning in a circle in the path.  “Arwyn!  Let go, _or else!”_

“Or else, _what?!”_ I challenged, twisting his arm behind him a bit more just to increase his annoyance.

I had heard the collective snickering of the rest of the team who had joined us as Cole had danced his jig.  Now I could see their boots as they surrounded us on the trail, laughing merrily.

Cole stopped his wriggling and commanded, “Kai!” 

_Kai?_ I thought right before I felt a hard, stinging blow full on my left buttock.  “OWW!!” I reflexively straightened up and released Cole’s wrist and his briefs at the same time.

Before I knew it, I was suddenly standing on my own two feet, staring with surprise into the reddened face of an irate and scowling ninja leader.  Howls of laughter were coming from our red, white, and blue brothers standing nearby.

From between gritted teeth, Cole hissed at me with a nasty sneer, “You had better run for that ship like you just stole something!” as he reached behind him to jerk his wadded lingerie from his fine tush.

Believe me, I beat even _Jay_ to that anchor chain. 

Overnight, however, I had gotten my revenge by getting them all up earlier than usual with my two-alarm prank.

The next morning after breakfast, we had returned to the woods and had run the winding path, going farther than the afternoon previously.  The trail cut deeper into the immense copse, sending us over low rises, across gurgling rills, and around marshy spots, as we ducked under hanging branches and jumped over fallen trees.  It was exhilarating and relaxing at the same time!

At one point, as I was following Jay and Zane, I had screeched to a sudden halt, causing Kai to nearly run over me, while Cole ran into him.  The two behind me had naturally reacted with annoyance.

We had come upon a small meadow twice as large as the _Bounty’s_ main deck, filled with dew-covered grasses and ferns, with a scattering of purple violets and yellow wild flowers here and there.  The sun’s first golden rays slanted through the trees of the surrounding forest, casting a bewitching glow over the idyllic scene. 

“This…is so beautiful,” I murmured as I stood on the edge of the mesmerizing glade with an intense sense of awe and  homesickness.  When I turned to Cole, he was staring out over the clearing with a far-away look, his face more flushed than it usually was during a run.  “Can we stay here a while?”

“Uh…”  He faced away from me and his other teammates, ran a hand through his moistened locks, and, to my disappointment, mumbled, “No, we need to finish our run and get back to the _Bounty_.  We’ll run by here again tomorrow.”  I hoped he could feel my glare burning into the back of his head.

That had been yesterday, on the morning before the ‘bathroom incident’.  Now I was ready to go out there again, and, hopefully, get them to stay a little longer.  I seriously needed some soul-soothing.

As breakfast came to an end, Sensei stood from his seated position, looked at everyone at the table with a crinkle around his eyes and announced, “You’ve all been working so hard without complaining, that I believe it is time you had a break.” 

His eyes rested on the ninja leader as he continued, “Today will be one of leisure for you all.  I want you off of this ship and in Ninjago City or elsewhere!”

A round of cheers sounded from everyone at the table, except for Cole who had a small, satisfied smile and, obviously, me.  Right away, everyone started making plans for what they wanted to accomplish between now and suppertime.

_Whoopee.  Now I have to go make nice with this crappy mood while everyone enjoys a day in the city.  Maybe I can at least go cry on Sofiya’s shoulder while I’m there. **If** I can pry her away from **Zane**.  _ I grimaced _.  Like I need to be around a blissful couple in love right now._

Keeping things under control, Cole quickly reminded the group that any chores pending needed to be taken care of first.  I didn’t have anything left over from yesterday, so I knew what I needed and wanted to do before we left.

As we all picked up our plates to take them to the kitchen, I approached Cole.  “I’d really like to take a run in the woods before we leave.  Do you think we could do that?”

He immediately thwarted my plans when he answered with regret, “I’m sorry, Arwyn, but I have a couple of things to take care of before we can go.  I don’t think we’ll have time.  We’ll definitely go tomorrow morning, though.”  Patting me on the shoulder encouragingly, he turned to go into the kitchen. 

“I need to go _now_ , not _tomorrow,”_ I grumbled in a low voice as I followed him to the sink. 

Two minutes later, I was pestering Kai as he gathered the garbage from various trash receptacles.  “Are you _kidding_ , Arwyn?  Running on a day we don’t have to train?  I don’t _think_ so!”  He regarded me skeptically.  “Besides, I have this to do, then I’m getting ready to get out of here.  You should be doing the same.”  I didn’t answer him as I grumpily stomped away. 

Zane and Jay gave me the same types of excuses when I requested the pleasure of their presences on the forest trail, sending my already-low mood into blacker depths.  I think it was at that point that something inside me snapped.

_That’s it.  That’s **frickin’** it!  I’m tired of having no freedom and not being able to do things that **I** want to do when **I** want to do them!  I’m **sick** of having to ask for permission and getting turned down!  I feel like a freakin’ prisoner in a stupid tower, and not even the **royal** kind!_  _And, after last night, I can **forget** about my Prince Charming rescuing me when he’s actually just my **chief jailer!**_  

I made my way up to the main deck and rebelliously eyed the nearby forest, the treetops golden with the rising sun.  After a moment, I said out loud, “I’m going running.”

Hurrying up to the bridge while trying to seem nonchalant, I found Nya stationed there, working on a confusing-looking jumble of metal bits and pieces.  I sidled over to her while checking out the quiet radar.  “Hey, Nya, whatcha doin’?  Why aren’t you getting ready to go to Ninjago City?”

Looking up from her project, she replied amiably, “I’m just working on a prototype for a modification to my samurai suit.  I had this awesome idea hit me at breakfast and wanted to try something before getting ready to leave.”  

“Really?” I responded dubiously, feeling more than a little inadequate in that department, as I watched her place the baffling pieces together while doing a little soldering here and there.  Truth be told, I was so mechanically–disinclined that there were times when I felt I could barely manage a plastic building-brick set.

“Looks… interesting,” I started.  “Um, will you be in here for the next half hour or so?”

“Oh, yeah!  It’ll be at least that long before I finish with this and go change to head out.”  She turned her attention to a part that tumbled to the floor.

“So-o…you’ll also be keeping an eye on the radar?” I inquired hopefully.

Retrieving the fallen piece, she sighed, “As usual.”

‘Twas all I needed to know.  “Okay, cool!  Uh, there’s something I need to do, so I’ll get out of your hair, and see you later!” I said quickly as I scurried out of the bridge and made for below deck. 

Everyone else was also taking care of business below, so when I ran back up to the main deck less than five minutes later, I didn’t even bother to try to hide.  In my tank top, fitted capris, and trail-running shoes, with a Shuriken of Ice strapped to each upper arm, I made for the anchor chain and descended without hesitation.

Dropping from a height of about ten feet, I landed on the sand running swiftly and smoothly for the forested border, not slowing down until I hit the trail.  Filled with elation at my moment of freedom, I prepared to enjoy my run in the forest, knowing they couldn’t stop me now.

****Cole’s POV**

_That should do it_ , I thought with satisfaction as I turned off the vacuum cleaner and surveyed the game room.  _And if Jay and Lloyd weren’t such pigs with their snacks, this wouldn’t have taken as long as it did.  Maybe I should ban eating in the game room… Nah, I like to eat in here, too._

Now that that was done, I could go change into a T-shirt and jeans, gather Arwyn and the others, and we could take off for Ninjago City.

Winding the cord around its holder on the vacuum, I thought about the abbreviated apology I had tried to stammer out to Arwyn the night before for nearly molesting her in the guys’ bathroom. 

Although I wasn’t _sorry_ for what had happened, or almost happened, since I wanted _badly_ to be with her, I had wanted to let her know that I wasn’t meaning to be like Kita or Keiji, selfishly aiming to take whatever I could get from her.  I wanted _her_.  I wasn’t sure how she had taken that, but I had to offer it. 

And as for Keiji…Now I had a name.  When I was able to get over to Miyagi, I intended to look him up.  I didn’t think there was a statute of limitations on breaking someone’s heart to the point where they had trouble trusting anyone else, so he would be fair game.

During my awkward apology, I got interrupted when I noticed the sliver of light under Sensei’s door go out, and had to cut things short with Arwyn.  I had wanted to present him with my request that we all get a day off.  We needed a break, and I knew it was time for Arwyn to visit Sofiya. 

It was time for her to see her parents, too, but Sensei wasn’t ready to leave the area, and Arwyn hadn’t asked to invite them here, so I could only wait and see.

Anyway, I was planning on taking her to Ninjago City for a little R&R, visiting Sofiya, and having lunch in a nice café, or picking up stuff for a picnic in the park, if she preferred. 

I really wanted to tell her how I felt about her as soon as possible, but I didn’t want to do it publicly, just in case she didn’t respond the way I was _hoping_ she would.

That’s why I was also planning to take her this evening before sundown to the forest glade we had found.  She was enamored with the place, and I had had a _great_ dream in a similar setting, so I felt it would be the perfect spot to bare my heart and soul. 

And if she chose to _stomp_ on my heart, I could always bury it next to the violets.

Rolling the vacuum down the hall to the cleaning-supply closet, I noted the patter of smaller running feet before I saw Lloyd coming toward me.  “Cole!  Is it okay if I go with you to Ninjago City?  Huh?  _Please?”_   He bounced slightly up and down in front of me, like he was doing the I-gotta-pee dance.  The pleading tone in his voice showed on his face.  “Uncle said it’s fine with him if it’s alright with you!”

I wasn’t very keen on that idea and cringed inwardly.  Not because of Lloyd personally, but a tag-along would definitely throw a wrench in the gears as far as my plans with Arwyn were concerned.  _Thanks a lot, Sensei Wu_.

Opening the closet door between us, I performed a silent scream as I returned the vacuum to its place, then closed the door and faced Lloyd with a smile.  “Uh, sure, no problem.”  I was thinking fast for an alternative.  “But if you come, prepare to possibly get stuck with Kai if I need to do something alone, okay?”  _Heh.  Lucky Kai._

The boy looked at me with a little uncertainty, but responded slowly, “Oh-kay.  So long as I can come.”  _Ah, little brothers._

“I intend to leave in about thirty minutes, so you‘d better be ready,” I informed him as he ran past me to the bunkroom.  “No problem!  I’ll be ready in five minutes!” he answered as the door swung shut.

Continuing along the passageway to Arwyn’s room, I thought about how her mood this morning seemed a little out-of-character and hoped that a day in Ninjago City would help improve it.  I didn’t need anything to spoil her mood when I talked to her this evening.

Knocking on her door, I quietly called her name.  Getting no response, I pushed the door open to find the room in a state of disarray, which was not like her.  The bed was unmade, and a drawer of the dresser hung open with clothes spilling from it.  Her evergreen jacket, pants, and fitted undershirt, as well as her boots, were scattered over the bed and floor. 

_Hmm… Apparently she’s changed already… And was in a big hurry_. 

Was she waiting on the main deck?  After checking the infirmary, I hopped up the stairs to let her know I would only be a few more minutes, then we could leave, although it was still really early by city standards.

Not seeing her anywhere, I was about to go back down to search for her when I looked up to the quarterdeck and spotted Nya and Zane through the prow-facing windows of the bridge.  Maybe Arwyn was hanging out with them up there.

After taking the steps to the quarterdeck two at a time, I arrived at the door of the bridge where I found Nya and Zane standing alone, their backs to me as they studied the radar.  Nya was saying, “…Cole doesn’t need to know about this.” 

Zane nodded.  “I agree.  She is on the way back already.  I  would prefer not to tell him if we do not have to do so.”

My brows knit in question right before I spied the falcon-view screen next to the radar with its single blip.  There was a bird’s-eye view of Arwyn running happily along the forest trail… _alone_.  She lifted her head and smiled, dodged a branch, and tossed a little wave in the falcon’s direction as it approached her from the front, then soared over her head.

“ _Son of a **bitch!** ”_ I blurted loudly, causing Nya and Zane to whirl to face me in alarm.  “Oh, crud,” I heard Nya mutter as I stared in livid disbelief at the rectangular monitor. 

It suddenly went black, and I shifted my mad-as-a-hornet gaze to my guilty-looking, nindroid brother.  “Put it _back_ on,” I ordered firmly through gritted teeth.  My good mood was definitely shot to hell.

Raising a hand in an effort to settle me down, Zane began quickly, “Cole, we—”

“ _Now_ , Zane!” I barked more insistently.  Without further argument, the screen lit up again with Arwyn’s leaping figure clearing a narrow gully as the falcon approached from her left, obviously circling overhead. 

Keeping my eyes on the monitor, I quizzed her shame-faced accomplices.  “How long has she been out?  And how long have you known about this?”  The two shared a furtive glance.

Nya spoke first.  “She’s probably been gone less than thirty minutes.  It was about that long ago that she came up here and asked if I would be in the bridge a while.” 

“When I came in approximately seven minutes ago, I noted the non-threatening movement on the radar.  Nya remembered her conversation with Arwyn at that time, and I sent the falcon out to meet her.”  Zane shuffled, obviously uncomfortable with this.  “I could see she was on the way home, and she has my shurikens.  I did not think it was necessary to—”

Not letting him finish, I spun abruptly toward the door and strode determinedly for the quarterdeck railing.  Reaching it, I gripped it hard and bellowed for Jay.  Within seconds, he was on the main deck, saluting me energetically with a grin.  “You rang, skipper?”

I ignored his antics.  “Arwyn is alone on the north leg of the trail!  Go get her!” I demanded, still gripping the railing.

He assumed a quizzical look, then, oddly, cocked an eyebrow and grinned again.  _“’Alone’_ , you say!  Are you sure _you_ don’t want to go…?”

_What the… ?_   “You’re the fastest runner, and I’m too upset right now to talk to her!  _Go!_ ”

“Why is she alone?” he asked with a little confusion as he trotted toward the starboard railing.

“Just get her…and bring her back…as soon as possible,” I growled slowly, running a hand through my hair.

He gestured to his floral-print camp shirt and cargo shorts.  “Okay, but I was all ready to—”  Seeing the look on my face, he thought better of finishing his comment and slid wordlessly over the railing to begin the descent on the anchor chain. 

Zane met me as I watched Jay sprint across the sandy expanse between the _Bounty_ and the wooded land.  “Cole, be calm, and try to understand why she may have done this,” he said soothingly.  “She struggles with her loss of independence and—”

Swiveling in his direction and gesturing emphatically, I burst out, “I _know_ this, Zane!  I’ve known this from the _moment_ she was told she had to be protected, on the _first_ night we met!  But it still remains that she _has to be guarded_ , and she is _blatantly_ defying us, putting herself at _risk,_ and disregarding the rules!”

Narrowing his icy-blue gaze at me, my brother in white gave me the impression that he felt I was at fault for reacting in such a way.  As Nya appeared at his side, I lowered my voice and leveled a question at him, pointing a finger at his chest.  “How would _you_ react if that was Sofiya out there?”

Zane’s eyes barely flickered, even as Nya’s widened at the fact that I was insinuating a personal concern for Arwyn.  “Just as you are doing now,” he answered quietly, fully understanding my meaning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Communication is key! (I wouldn't mind some:)


	18. This Hurts Me As Much As It Hurts You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn must face the music after her frolic, but Cole gets punished, too. And his secret is no longer a secret. Except to the one who really matters.

****Arwyn’s POV**

Deciding my run should be short, due to the circumstances, I had gone out less than two miles before I turned around in the trail and headed back toward the _Bounty_.  I already figured someone had noted my absence, especially when I saw Merlin flying overhead. 

 _Wonder if Nya told on me, or Zane just happened to go looking for me?_ I considered as I smiled benignly and waved, resisting the urge to flip a rude hand gesture.

The sudden movement of a rabbit skipping across the path sent a little surge of adrenaline through me, forcing my attention back to my surroundings.  I knew I had to remain alert for any potential danger, my trainers had taught me that much, so I had thought ahead to bring weapons and a mode of quick transportation with me, hence Zane’s shurikens. 

But I was letting my mind wander way too much, which was fine when I was encircled by my protectors.  Now, however, was a bad time to become careless, and not a lot of forethought had gone into this rash decision.

_Oh, well, enjoy your solitary run, ‘cause it may be your last one._

When I was less than a mile from the _Bounty_ , I felt an extra pep in my step just before the static of the Master of Lightning made itself apparent.  Rounding a little bend in the trail at the top of a low rise, I spotted him easily as he ran up the trace in a flowery, fuchsia-and-teal shirt.  I had a good chuckle over his choice of running clothes.

Stopping on the path, Jay waited for me to reach him, then joined me in the direction of the ship, staying at my side when the path was wide enough.  “Hey.”  I scrutinized his bright attire with a droll grin.  “What’s up?”

“Oh, I just heard you were out here _alone_ , upsetting Cole, and breaking kind of a _major_ rule.”  Odd how he could easily carry on a conversation while running.  He also didn’t wear his customary smile.  “A rule which is—correct me if I’m wrong—one I think we covered during a discussion in the bridge a while back.  In fact, it was ‘the thing before the laundry’.  Remember _that_ one?”

“Yeah, yeah.  Sue me,” I dismissively said between breaths, watching the path for potential hazards.

He didn’t pause.  “This run could have waited.  You didn’t _have_ to be so impatient—”

“I’m _not_ impatient!” I argued.  “I’m aggravated and sick of not being able to do things… _pant_ …when and how I want to for over a month!  I’ve only been off the _Bounty_ … _pant_ …to run and go into Ninjago City _once_ since I changed my _entire life!”_

I had to pause in my rant to suck in a couple of deep breaths as I dodged a briar branch.  “Do you have any _idea_ what it’s like to _not_ have a say in your own comings… _pant_ … and goings unless you have an _escort?_   I’m _shocked_ you guys let me go to the _bathroom_ alone!”  _Gasp!_

“I think we’re all aware that you don’t like it, but that’s the way it has to _be,”_ Jay replied soberly, doing a one-eighty on a clear, straight portion of the trail so he was running backwards a step ahead of me.  “Look at what just happened with the Serpentine a few days ago.  We could have _lost_ you!”

I wanted to trip him, but not just for showing off.

“As for getting off of the _Bounty_ , we were about to _do_ that, so that _can’t_ be one of your excuses for leaving just now,” he continued with a thoughtful expression, still facing me.  “Why else did you decide you had to come out here alone?  What happened?”

Pausing a moment, I finally burst out with only part of the truth, _“Nothing!_   I’m just tired of being nothing but the ‘Green Ninja’ to everyone!  I want to be _more_ than that!”

“What do you mean?”  His brow creased as he pivoted on the trace to again face forward.  “You _know_ you’re also our teammate, our friend, our sister—”

“You _know_ that’s not what I _mean!”_   He knew that full well!  Why was he annoyingly playing dumb?  “You know I want to be _more!”_  

Strangely for Jay, he didn’t say anything for several running steps.  Finally he offered sincerely, “I’m sorry that I can’t give that to you, Arwyn.  Not that I haven’t _tried_ …” 

“Thanks, but I’ve beginning to believe that it’s something I won’t _ever_ obtain,” I admitted resignedly, catching sight of Merlin circling back.

“Maybe we should just come out with that secret, and get it over with.  I’m sure it’ll all work out.”

“No!  It’ll only make matters _worse,”_ I insisted as we neared the edge of the forest and slowed to a fast walk.  “Something makes me think I’d just be embarrassing myself if I did that _now.”_

“You should try seduction,” he said with the smallest of confident smiles as we stepped onto sandier ground.

I had to laugh at that.  _“Really_ , Jay?  That makes a man easy to catch _,_ but tough to hold.”

Laughing lightly with me, he said, “Oh, if _I_ were being seduced, I don’t think _I’d_ put up much of a fight to get away afterward!”  His laughter stopped all of a sudden, and he revised his remark, “Uh, I don’t think _any_ man would!”  His glance at the ship ahead of us seemed nervous. 

Lifting my perspiring face toward the _Bounty_ , which was still about three hundred feet away, I spied Cole, Zane, and Nya at the railing.  My chest tightened when Cole retreated from the banister and disappeared from view.

“Just forget it,” I advised him, lifting the hem of my tank and wiping my brow.

“Okay.  Whatever you want,” my colorful companion sighed as we approached the ship.  “Anyway, you know that when we get back, there’s gonna be a lecture.  Cole’s really _pissed!_   And then he’s got to discipline you in some way for breaking the rules.  We _all_ get it if we don’t stick to Sensei’s orders.”

I wasn’t sure it mattered anymore if I upset Cole.  Did I still have any chance with him?  But there _was_ another issue at stake.  “Like what _kind_ of punishment?”

“Like extra training, missing a day off, or doing everyone’s chores for a week,” Jay listed with a little scowl.  “Usually that sort of thing.”  Chuckling a bit, he added, “Kai did it several times in the beginning, and I screwed up once, but never again!  Cole and Zane have _never_ broken the rules, though.”  _Goody-two-shoes times two there._

I tried to act indifferent as I caught my breath, and my respiratory rate slowed.  “Whatever.”  I was _so_ gonna regret having done this.

“Just remember that whatever he does, it’s _not_ to be mean,” he quickly amended, doubtless trying to head off any knee-jerk reactions.

“I know.  It’s just because he’s the leader.  He’s just my boss.”  Jadedly, I added, “That’s all he’ll _ever_ be.” 

“He’s nobody’s boss!” Jay disagreed insistently.  “But rules are rules, and whatever he does, I’m backing him!”  He made his point with a finger in my direction.  “You can’t keep taking risks like this.” 

“I _know,_ already!” I snapped as I watched him pop a small handful of berries into his mouth.  “Where’d you get those, and why aren’t you sharing?”

Chewing happily, he informed me, “I’m not sharing.  You have to pick your own, like a booger.”

Grimacing, I stopped and crossed my arms when we reached the anchor.  “Go on up first, so you can line up with the rest of the gauntlet.”

He gave me a puzzled look.

“Get in line to dole out the _punishment!”_ I simplified.  “And make it snappy, or I’ll _pants_ you on the way up!”

Already starting his climb, the fuchsia-and-teal ninja glanced quickly over his shoulder, exclaiming, “Arwyn, don’t you _dare_ do that again!”

As he scrambled up the chain, I followed him and let loose a loud, maniacal laugh, wishing there was somewhere _else_ I could run instead of having to face Cole.

****Cole’s POV**

After my revelation following my outburst with him, Zane had quietly contemplated me a moment as Nya stood silently at his side, waiting, possibly, to offer me her support, but, more likely, hoping to nag me.  With a finger, I fiddled with a splinter of wood on the railing, wondering what he was thinking.  Eventually, he voiced a comment.  “How long have you felt this way?”

Looking out toward the spot where Jay had entered the forest, I heaved a sigh, “Pretty much since I met her in the clinic.”

Zane’s pale brows came up.  “I assume she is not _aware_ of this.”  His tone was even and non-judgmental.  “Why have you waited to inform her of your affections?”  Nya wordlessly rolled her eyes at that.

I slid a hand over my face and mumbled awkwardly between my fingers, “Because she’s the Green Ninja…and Sensei’s daughter?”

He looked doubtfully at me.  “But…what does that matter?  She is also a woman who appears to care for you to at least some extent.”  A self-righteous sound of agreement came from his elbow. 

Rubbing my face with both hands in a self-conscious gesture, I muttered, “I _know_.  It seemed so reasonable in the begin—”  Then I grasped the rest of his comment and dropped my hands quickly.  “Wait, _what?_   ‘Appears to _care_ ’ for me?  How do you _know?”_

“Anyone who is observant enough would notice how you interact with one another,” he answered straightforwardly.  “Also, yesterday evening, when you revealed her as the prankster, you _both_ had elevated resting heart rates into the nineties, which is _very_ _unusual_ for both of you.” 

He raised a brow again, along with a corner of his mouth.  “I deduced that something had occurred between you before you came out of the bathroom.”  Nya snorted and covered her smile with her fingertips.

Knowing my face had gone the color of Kai’s uniform, I put my back to them and squeezed my eyes shut.  _Does he also know my blood type and sperm count?!_  

At that moment, my comlink vibrated with an incoming call, startling me back to the present situation.  Only Jay or Arwyn would be likely to be calling. 

I hastily punched the button to turn on the audio and could hear Jay saying, “Oh, I just heard you were out here _alone_ , upsetting Cole, and breaking kind of a _major_ rule.”  He had opened his end one-way.  I brought the communication device closer to my ear.

It was apparent as he questioned her that Arwyn was not aware that Jay was allowing me to listen in, which I thought was very underhanded of him, but I wasn’t gonna turn it off, either!  Moreover, neither of the two with me suggested doing so, especially when they were leaning in closer to hear better.

When Arwyn stated with conviction that she wanted to be more than just the Green Ninja, and Jay replied that he had tried to give her that, Nya assumed an uneasy expression.  I shared her reaction. 

The topic of the secret came up, and the Samurai _really_ perked up, appearing more disturbed.  I could only shrug.

However, “What the _frick?!”_ was the reaction of both of us when Jay suggested seduction.  “Just who is he proposing she seduce?!” Nya angrily asked no one in particular.  I didn’t want to think about it.

We descended to the main deck, and I watched the tree line until I saw the pair emerge as their conversation went on, with Arwyn saying she’d embarrass herself with a disclosure, increasing my misgivings. 

A knot was developing in my stomach as I dreaded the confrontation I knew was coming.  I had _no problem_ yelling at Kai or Jay for breaking rules or doing something stupid or reckless, but this was going to be different.

Leaving the railing, I wandered over to the entry to the below-deck stairway, passing Kai who was coming up to check out what was happening.  Noticing my demeanor, he wisely kept on going to meet Nya and Zane.    

One of the last of her comments, the remark about my being just a boss to her, made me flinch hard as I reached the stairs.  Was that _truly_ how she regarded me?  Not willing to hear more, I turned off the comlink, then reached up and gripped the wooden lintel of the stairway opening, staring blankly into the darkened passageway. 

It wasn’t so funny how a statement of hers could so easily kick my legs out from under me.  _Guess that’s what I get for eavesdropping._

Crazy laughter sounded from Arwyn below the ship, followed shortly by a cry of protest from Jay.  Within less than a minute, Kai’s cackling greeted Jay as he landed on the deck.  “Yeah, yeah.  She did it again.  Laugh it up, fuzzy-head, your time’s coming!” the lightning ninja returned.  “Hey, Nya!  Almost ready to leave?” 

I couldn’t catch her reply, but he bounded up to me, muttering, “What’s eating _her?”_ Adjusting his shorts, my fleet-footed brother addressed me with more enthusiasm.  “Ahoy, Capitan!  Did you catch my transmission?  I thought it might make it easier to figure out why Arwyn went AWOL.”

Cutting my eyes toward him, I answered, “Yeah, I got it…It was quite…insightful.”

I guess he noticed I was a little wound up.  “Sorry you heard that ‘boss’ thing.  I think Arwyn’s kinda miffed about something.”

“Well, we’re two peas in a pod, then.”  Behind us, I could hear Arwyn being greeted by the rest of the team as she crossed the railing onto the deck.  _Better get this over with._

Releasing the lintel, I turned to face her as she strode toward me in her curve-hugging running clothes, possibly intent on heading for her room.  As usual for her runs, she had pulled her hair back into a tight, high ponytail, but long, wavy tendrils now hung on either side of her still-flushed face, softening the challenging look she flashed me.

How the _hell_ was I gonna pull off a disciplinary action when she looked so beautiful this morning, even with the way her eyes dared me to chastise her?  Although her ‘boss’ comment still rang in my ears, for the moment I had gotten past wanting to yell at her for running off.

Planting my feet and crossing my arms over my chest as she stopped impatiently within a couple of yards of me, I prepared to go into ninja-leader mode the way I knew everyone gathered on the deck expected me to do.  _Well, let’s get this started…_

Inhaling slowly, I began unsmilingly, “I’m sure you’re aware that you just broke the biggest, and probably _only_ , rule you _must_ follow, which Sensei made before you even came here.”  I tried to disregard her eye-rolling.  “You are _not_ to leave the _Bounty_ without a Master with you.  I _know_ you haven’t forgotten about it, since the subject comes up on a regular basis.”

“How _can_ I forget it?” she bit back sharply, posturing herself in imitation of me.  _“I’m_ the only one on this ship who’s _stuck_ here like a freakin’ _prisoner!”_

“Let me reiterate.  Again.  We are _protecting_ you,” I pointed out quickly, trying to remain calm and diplomatic.  “Although it’s not _all_ you are to us, as the destined Green Ninja—”

“Yeah, you know _what?”_ said individual rudely interrupted me.  “I didn’t ask to _be_ the ‘destined Green Ninja’, I didn’t _apply_ for this position, and I didn’t even ask to _come_ here!”

 _Why is she making me do this?_   Gesturing in frustration, I could feel my ire rising rapidly.  “I shouldn’t have to remind you that you were _born_ into this, that there is _no one else_ ordained to help us defeat the dark lord!”  I shook my index finger in front of her face.  “By selfishly running off alone, you recklessly risked yourself and all of—”

“ _’Selfishly’?!_   _You_ try living like this with no autonomy!”  She was now pointing angrily at my chest while our brothers and Nya watched the whole mess with morbid curiosity.  “And what is the big deal?  The radar was clear!  Nothing happened, did it?!”

Oh, it was definitely time for a _serious_ reality check.  _“What’s the big deal?!”_   My voice rose steeply in volume as I bawled out irately, _“The serpentine, **who can tunnel,** have been known to appear out of **nowhere,** and could’ve kidnapped you or **slaughtered** you, pouring your blood out on that trail, while your four guardians were **totally oblivious** to the fact that you **WEREN’T EVEN ON THE SHIP!!”**_

The color drained from her troubled face as she was struck speechless either by my yelling or that image.  I somewhat regretted my tirade when I saw Zane grimacing behind her, but she had been missing the big picture. 

Fighting to quiet down, I moved to within an arm’s length of her and took her by both shoulders, saying firmly, “This is _not_ about your independence.  It’s about your life and safety and the future of everyone in this land.  If something were to happen to you, what would happen to Ninjago?”  _What would happen to **me**?!_

Staring at my chest, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but made no sound.  I had obviously knocked the wind out of her sails, giving her pause to consider.  Gone were all traces of defiance or irritation. 

Dropping my hands, I looked past her at the somber, mute faces around us.  “Does anyone want to add anything?”

In unison, Jay and Nya shook their heads in a negative reply, while Zane just looked at me like I had slapped her in the face.  With his arms crossed, Kai alone stepped forward in support of my upbraiding. 

“I agree with everything he just said and whatever discipline he imposes.  Each one of us would fight to the death to protect you, Arwyn, but we shouldn’t have to potentially lose our lives because you did something dumb.”  A painful look shadowed her face, and she covered it with her hands in shame as he went on frankly, “We got _damned_ lucky a few days ago that the blood spilled on this deck wasn’t yours.  We can’t take any more chances.”

When he was done, she lowered her hands and looked contritely at each of her guardians in turn.  “I am _so sorry_.  I wasn’t thinking beyond myself or my own _stupid_ concerns when I did this.  I promise you all, something like this will _not_ happen again.”

Each of us nodded our solemn acceptance of her apology, and she turned back to me to face her penalty much meeker than when she had first marched up. 

Doing this to her when nothing bad had actually happened was killing me, and now it was time to make things worse.  She had begun the fall of the dominoes, but it was up to me to ruin all of my plans, and this day of leisure, for both of us.  “Everyone gets disciplined when they screw up.  So, while everyone else enjoys their daytrip in the city, you’ll be here training all day under _my_ supervision.”

“I think that would be most unfair to _you_ , Cole, since you _specifically_ asked for this day of rest.”  Sensei’s voice startled me as he ascended the steps to the main deck.  Walking from behind me to stand by my side with his bamboo staff in his hand, he addressed Arwyn without hesitation. 

“I am _most_ disappointed.”  Alarmed, she glanced at him, then silently cast her eyes to the deck as he continued in an obviously-vexed tone.  “I took such _pains_ to protect and shelter you since before your birth, giving you up to _strangers_ at the cost of my own heart and happiness, all because of my love for you and for the sake of the salvation of Ninjago.  All of that, only to have you act disobediently and childishly because you desire to do as you wish?”  He punctuated that last part by rapping the butt of his staff on the weathered wood of the deck.

“For what reason would you act in such a way?”  He waited for Arwyn’s response as her eyes darted up to mine for a second before she lowered her head again and answered softly, “I have no good reason.”

Our teacher was quiet for a moment, then he spoke gruffly.  “Look at me.” 

Raising her face, she dutifully met his gaze, whereupon he must have made a gesture unseen by me, for she suddenly dropped to both knees on the deck, curiously settling into what I thought was seiza. 

Her next move stunned me, however, when she placed both hands on the floor in front of her and bowed so low that I thought her forehead rested on the wood. 

Dogeza. 

I had only seen this traditional outward expression of apology and submission one time before while traveling through a remote mountain village.  Seeing Arwyn performing this act of humility hurt my heart, and I thought the tension in my neck and shoulders was going to cause muscles to snap.

Sensei Wu stood straight as an arrow and stared out over the deck of the ship, expressionless, as she remained prostrate, both of them unmoving.  I noticed that Nya and the guys were busily examining cloud formations during all of this. 

After several painfully-long moments, he bent forward and tugged on Arwyn’s shoulders, urging her up.  Running footsteps sounded behind me, and Lloyd rushed up to meet us as she stood, exclaiming, “Did I miss something?!”  No one answered him as the tension slowly eased.

I placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder to stay him as Sensei stated to Arwyn, whose head was still bowed, “As Cole said, you will remain here in training for the day, but _I_ will be supervising while he and the rest of your brethren enjoy the day in the city.” 

I jerked my head in his direction to dispute my change of schedule as he added on more to the sentence _.  “And_ you will also be denied the pleasure of their company for the rest of the day.”

 _NNNOOOOOO!!!_  

I gawked at him incredulously.  He was ruining the last shreds of my plans!  Not only was our day of fun in the city gone, but the afternoon in the glade and anything beyond that was trashed, too!  I would have _no_ time with her today, at this rate!

Arwyn’s head had come up, desolation on her face, as she realized she was being ostracized, if only temporarily.  I had not seen her _this_ unhappy since she had come here, not even when she had questioned being abandoned by Sensei. 

_Ohmigod, she’s going to **hate** me for all of this!  I have to do something quick!_

“Uh, Sensei, I really don’t mind staying behind,” I began hesitantly, since I knew I was gonna be stepping on his toes.  “I can take care of the training, you really don’t—”  He didn’t let me finish.

“Put it out of your mind, Cole, and enjoy your day.”  Like that was gonna happen _now!_ “Arwyn and I will be fine alone, and if we run into problems, we will contact you all.”  Regarding Arwyn, he instructed, “Wait for me in the aft-most training room.”

Nodding wordlessly, she set out for below-deck, glancing my way over her shoulder as she began to descend the stairs.  “Arwyn!”  Reaching out a hand, I started forward, but was brought up short by my master’s bamboo staff thudding against my chest. 

“Go now, as I said, Cole.  We will be fine,” he reassured me confidently.  “Do not return before five, and bring back kibbah and chicken shawarma from that restaurant on the corner of Reed and Benoit for supper.”  

And, just like that, with an order for take-out, I was dismissed along with the rest of his students. 

After I helplessly watched his rice hat disappear, I remembered that Lloyd was heeling when he spoke.  “Um, Cole?  I don’t know if I really feel like going to Ninjago City now.  Maybe later.  Will that be okay with you?” 

Glancing down at him in surprise, I felt a twinge of betrayal.  “But earlier you were _dying_ to come to the city with me.  I thought you wanted to go to Doomsday Comix.”

Fidgeting somewhat, he apologetically mumbled, “Well, something’s come up, and I’d just rather stay.”

Something in the way he said that suddenly clicked with me.  Tousling his pale mop, I laughed quietly.  “That’s okay, buddy.  I totally understand.”

Surprising me even more, he responded with total assurance, “I know.”

My eyes narrowed suspiciously at his certitude.  “You know what?”

“Der.  I know you like Arwyn.”  Lloyd awarded me a very tolerant look.

“Uh, well, uh, _every_ body likes Arwyn…” I tried covering.  Was this the day _everyone_ , except the object of my affection, found out I was in love?

“Yeah,” he agreed, then smiled conspiratorially up at me.  “But you ‘LIKE-like’ her.”

Attempting to act as cool as a cucumber, I scoffed lightly, “How can you _possibly_ know this?” 

Rolling his steel-grey eyes, he stood a little straighter, saying proudly, “I may be ten years old, but I’m _not_ a kindergartner.  I can see it every time you look at her.” 

 _Well, crap.  Oh, well.  May as well utilize this_. 

“Uh, can you tell if _she_ … ‘ _like_ -likes’… _me?”_ I asked, more hopefully than I should have.

Garmadon’s spawn peered at me derisively.  “Hey, I’m only ten years old!  I can’t tell what a woman is thinking!”  _Drat._

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed heavily, “Ah, well, don’t worry about it.  You won’t be able to tell no matter _how_ old you are.”

Viewing me inquisitively for a second, he finally shrugged and started for the stairs.  “I’m gonna see if Uncle needs my help with anything!”  Stopping on the third step, he turned back to me as I still stood on the deck, feeling my mood circling the drain, following my plans for the day. 

“If you’re bringing something home for Uncle, would you get me a gyro, too?  Oh, and I bet Arwyn would like veggie kabobs and falafel!  And could we have baklava for dessert?”  Having given me his order, he dashed down the steps. 

I had just been officially relegated to food-delivery duty.  Closing my eyes and rubbing my temples, I soon became aware of the conversation going on behind me.

“Well, Sensei said to leave, so we’d better get going,” Kai declared, with his comrades voicing agreement.

“I’m already ready!” Jay announced.  “Just need a little extra antiperspirant!  Are you about ready to leave, Nya?”

Walking past me, she halted at the top of the stairs and turned to face him with an unyielding look and a tougher tone.  “Jay.  We need to talk.”

I didn’t have to look back at him to know that no amount of antiperspirant was gonna save him now.  “Uh, what about, sweetie?” he questioned in a voice that sounded a touch higher and shakier than usual.

“Cole wasn’t the _only_ one who was privy to your conversation with Arwyn,” she informed him irritably, crossing her arms in front of her.  Seeing her body language, I _knew_ he was about to get raked over the coals.  “You and Arwyn apparently have a secret, and you’re encouraging her to _seduce_ someone?  Just what is going _on_ between you two?!”

I had to check out how the Master was gonna wheedle his way out of this one.  “Heh, heh!  You heard that, huh?”  His eyes flitted to me, then back to Nya, who impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for his defensive move. 

“It’s not _really_ anything, just a small, insignificant secret.  Heh…And I _certainly_ wasn’t suggesting she seduce **_me_** … I mean, I was joking anyway, it…”  A bead of sweat was gathering on his brow as he took in her stone-cold glare.  Heck, she was making _**me**_ uncomfortable.

Nya continued to simply stand and wait for Jay to produce something she was satisfied with, but he insisted on making it hard for himself.  And with _witnesses_ , no less.

Grabbing the back of his neck, he tried hemming and hawing.  “Like I said, it’s just a small, _teeny_ secret, nothing you need to concern yourself with _at all_ …not a thing… _really!_   A nonentity.  Smaller than small.  I don’t even know why I know it…Can’t remember how I learned it, even…In fact, _what_ secret?”

I could tell she was losing her patience as her stare became more penetrating, and her foot tapped faster.  At last, against all our better judgments, he winced and said, “I can’t say anything.”

“You _can_ , and you _will!”_ she corrected him irrefutably.

“But I said I _wouldn’t!_   And I’ve been doing so _good_ so far, too!”  He seemed _so_ proud.  I wondered how proud he would be if he were single.

“Yay, you’ve set a record.”  Her cheer was unenthusiastic.  Dropping her arms and stepping down the stairs, she threatened, “You will sincerely regret it if you _don’t_ tell me immediately.  I’ll be in my room getting ready to leave…with or with _out_ you!”

Jay looked after her worriedly.  “Nya?”  He glanced quickly at me, then at the two men behind me, apparently deciding that _her_ company, such as she was, was better than hanging with us.  “Nya!  Wait!”  Leaping from the main deck, he cleared the entire flight, landed in the corridor below, and raced after her.

As I stood watching the dust settle behind Jay, Kai and Zane stepped up to stand on either side of me.  Zane had a trace of a smile, while Kai chortled with satisfaction at his brother’s quandary, “I guess we should have told her about that a couple of weeks ago, huh?”  I nodded in silent agreement.

On my right, Zane leaned over to address Kai from across me.  “Were you aware that Cole is in love with Arwyn?”  I nearly swallowed my tongue. 

Not believing that the quiet one had just divulged a confidence of mine _right in front_ of my face, I burst out, “For God’s sake, Zane!  That wasn’t supposed to be broadcast _nationally_!” 

From my left, with a straight face, Kai barely glanced at Frosty.  “Duh.  Why do you think I almost got ripped a new one a couple of times?”

Staring at my blaze-brandishing brother in astonishment, I gasped, “ _You_ knew?”

His obsidian eyes squinted in the sun as he gave a bored wave of his hand.  “You may have _other_ secrets I don’t know about, but you weren’t hard to figure out on this one.”

He cocked his head at me with an amused twist to his mouth.  “Why do you think I, (A), backed off of her, and, (B), needled you at the coffee shop over never dating?  Because, (A), I didn’t want to fight my much-bigger brother who cared more for her, and, (B), it was _fun.”_

I face-palmed in exasperation.  “Who the hell _doesn’t_ know?”

Kai looked thoughtful.  “Hmm…maybe Jay?  Nya?  Arwyn?  Lloyd?  Sensei?  No, he knows everything.  Probably why he’s been hounding you.  By the way, shouldn’t you let _Arwyn_ know at some point?”

“I’m _trying_ to…And Nya and Lloyd know.”

“Well, get a move on and _tell_ her already,” he advised as he gave me a friendly punch in the shoulder.  “You may be the solid-as-a-rock Master of Earth, but even the earth’s crust has fault lines and fissures.  I think you’ve developed yours.  Wait any longer and you’re gonna crack _wide_ open.”

As the three of us headed to the bunkroom to change for our daytrip, I considered his words.  Kai was right.  Compared to how stable I had seemed two months ago, having Arwyn enter my world had really shaken things up.  For the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far so good? Leave me a note!


	19. No, Really, I AM Enjoying Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole "enjoys" his day in the city while Arwyn toils and ruminates on the "Bounty"

****Cole’s POV**

Jay and Nya met us on the deck as Kai, Zane, and I were about to jump the railing and head for Ninjago City, both looking like the cat that ate the canary.  They were also back to canoodling, so it was obvious that Nya had pried from Jay whatever information he was withholding, and they were good again. 

_Better take this opportunity_ , I thought as I grabbed her elbow before she and Jay could connect for the leap before the jet-takeoff.  She didn’t seem at all surprised and smiled broadly up at me before I even had a chance to question her.  “I’m not telling, Cole.”

“What?!” I could not believe she was doing this to me, knowing what she knew.  “Why not?!”

“You’ll have to talk to Arwyn,” she replied sweetly while prying my fingers from her arm.

I let go of her and ran my hand through the hair I’d just combed.  “I _tried_ a while back, and she wouldn’t talk.  Remember the day I got racked?”  **_I_** certainly did!  However, the evening afterward had made things better.

“Well, obviously you didn’t use the right words.”  Her smile was cryptic as she walked over to Jay where he waited patiently with a ludicrous grin and his golden nunchuks.   Slipping into his arms, she added, “And I don’t mean you should say ‘Please, oh please, tell me’!”

“Well, what the heck do you mean?” I asked in aggravation, about ready to push Jay over the railing for keeping this from me to begin with.

“You’re smart!  You’ll figure it out!” she shouted as they leapt over the banister and blasted away. 

Zane and Kai viewed me sympathetically.  “Maybe we should have dangled him by his feet over the railing…without the nunchuks,” Kai offered as he watched the jet become a dot on the horizon.  If only I had been able to get my hands on him.

Standing by the railing, Zane turned to Kai and me.  “What are your plans today, Cole?”

I sighed with disappointment as I hefted the Scythe of Quakes.  “I _was_ gonna be taking Arwyn to see Sofiya and then around the city for the day.  That’s shot now, along with my mood.  I guess I’ll just find something…”

“Oh, no way!” Kai interjected quickly and pointed a finger at me.  “Remember what I said about cracking?  You’re not gonna do that on _my_ watch, chief!”  Looking over at Zane, he asked, “Will you be with Sofiya all day?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Zane answered regretfully.  “She could not reschedule her classes, so I will just be meeting her for a short time at the coffee shop this morning until she’s done this evening.”

“Great, then, we’ll be like the three amigos on the town!” Kai declared.  “Go and see Sofiya, then meet—”

“Just come with me now to the coffee shop,” Zane suggested as he held a golden shuriken in each hand and threw a long, blue-jean-clad leg over the railing. 

“Ah, the coffee shop,” smiled Kai impishly while brandishing his Dragon Sword of Fire with a two-handed grip.  “Perfect place to start!”

“Um, Kai…” I lifted a finger tentatively and started to protest.

“Shut up, and let’s go!” he shouted as he and the ice ninja disappeared from my view.  Today was supposed to have gone so differently.  Glancing ruefully over my shoulder, and hoping Arwyn wasn’t seething with hatred for me, all I could do was follow.

Once we were in Ninjago City, Zane zoomed straight for the Fitness Center on his Snowmobile to pick up Sofiya, while Kai and I took off for the rendezvous point. 

When we entered the Cool Beans Coffee Shop, I anxiously scanned the place, quickly spotting the Italian-speaking flirt from our last visit.  Ducking my head, I attempted to make my way to the back without being noticed.

Kai followed me to our seats, teasing along the way.  “As if you’re gonna sneak past her!  If she doesn’t _see_ Mount Cole, she’ll be _sniffing_ you out!”  He paused.  “Plus, the scythe kinda makes you a little conspicuous.”

As we sat in the same spots we had been in a few weeks ago, I shot him a dirty look.  “Just don’t persecute me and encourage anything this time, okay?”

He laughed tauntingly as he propped his sneakers on the coffee table.  “Oh, but this has _so much_ potential for epic entertainment!”  I had such a bad feeling about this…

After glaring at him, I caught sight of the shapely, blonde waitress as she made her way to our station.  I could have been mistaken, but she appeared to be ogling me lustfully.  “Ah, damn,” I mumbled as I slid down a little in my chair.

Kai’s smirk just got more twisted as he reveled in my anticipatory discomfort.  “This is _so much_ fun already!  I wish Arwyn was here!”  I wanted to flip the coffee table onto his head.

“ _Bella scoperta (What a surprise)!_ ” our server exclaimed with a broad smile as she approached me in a revealing top and an almost-revealing skirt, totally ignoring my teammate. 

Placing a hand on my shoulder, she drew her fingertips across the back of my neck to the opposite shoulder as she circled around behind my chair like a predator, saying, “It is so good to see you again, _caro (dear)!_   You must have lost my card!  You never called!” 

“Uh…” I could feel my face burning with embarrassment.

Kai sat on the couch enjoying the spectacle, shoulders shaking in mirth, one eyebrow cocked high, trying to cover with his hand the highly-amused grin he apparently couldn’t suppress any other way. 

I could think of a way to suppress it, but I was too occupied trying to figure out how to shake off the brash woman who was combing the hair behind my ear with her manicured nails.  And I was thankful that Arwyn wasn’t here to see it.

Hearing a familiar voice call my name, I looked up hopefully and saw salvation in Zane and Sofiya as they came gliding across the coffee shop.  In her usual formfitting outfit, the yoga instructor looked up at him, saying something, then hurried toward us, leaving him behind.  The waitress saw her coming and backed off of me warily. 

“Cole, _sweetheart!_   I’ve missed you so much!  It’s been _hours_!” Sofiya spouted right before she plopped herself onto my lap, crossing her legs, and throwing her arms around my neck.  _What the frick?!_

Shocked beyond belief, I could only grip the arms of the chair with eyes widened as she grabbed a handful of hair at the back of my head and pressed her full lips against mine.  She drew back after a moment just enough to whisper, “Arms around me, goober!” before kissing me flat on the mouth once again.

Not certain _what_ I should be doing, I obediently followed her instructions, my nearly-paralyzed arms making it around her waist as I squeezed my eyelids tightly closed, trying to shut out the befuddled frown on Zane’s face. 

_I’m gonna get frozen solid for this,_ I managed to think through the fog in my head.  _And why is this not Arwyn on my lap?_  

To make matters worse, I had heard Kai’s gasp in the background, followed by, “Damn!  I wish I had a cell phone!  Why couldn’t Jay have put a camera on our comlinks?!”  Lucky for me he didn’t.

After what seemed like forever, Sofiya ended the smooch, leaning back and looking quite pleased with herself.  “I owed you one,” she explained with a smile as she glanced in the direction of the retreating waitress. 

Zane still stood behind her, frowning at us as he took her by the hand to help her off of my lap.  I could do nothing more than give him an apologetic look, since I couldn’t yet form words.  

“I agree that Cole was in need of some assistance,” Sofiya’s mildly-jealous beau commented a bit sourly.  “But I believe you just used a fire hose to extinguish a candle, dearest.” 

In response, the platinum-haired nymph immediately silenced the nindroid by locking lips with _him_ and pushing him down onto the nearby loveseat.  He had no problem at all returning the public display of affection.

“Geez,” came Kai’s comment.  “I feel like I’m on the last row in the theater at a chick flick!  _By myself!”_   I was still too busy recovering from Sofiya’s maneuvers on my own person to be concerned about what was happening on the loveseat. 

“So, is this a round-robin?  Which of you do I get to make out with first?”  With all the distractions, I hadn’t noticed the attractive, light-chestnut-haired woman in a fitted T-shirt and yoga pants walk up. Unabashed, she stood at the end of Kai’s couch with arms crossed as she eyed me and the fire ninja up and down.

Kai jumped from his seat as though a spring had come through the cushion.  “You could start with me!  Name’s Kai.”  He tried to be as suave as possible as he stuck out his hand in greeting.

Taking his hand and shaking it briefly, the slender woman gave him the once-over with an appreciative nod.  “Eh, I could do worse.  But I was joking about that.” 

Releasing his hand as he gave her an uncertain frown, she gestured to the necking couple.  “I’m the kissing-girl’s friend, Renata.”  Turning to me with a little wave, she said, “And don’t bother getting up if it’s too hard, er, _difficult_ for you.”  She glanced at my lap with a simpering grin.

Feeling my cheeks heat a tad, I stood anyway, extending my hand and taking hers.  “I’m fine.  I’m Cole, the kissing-guy’s teammate, as well as that of the wanting-to-be-kissed guy.”

“Hey!” Kai protested with an exaggerated look of offense.  “Just because I offer to include her—”

“Oh, then you’re all _Arwyn’s_ friends!”  She quickly made the connection and interrupted Kai by pushing him back into his seat with her fingertips on his chest.  My eyebrows arched as I watched his easy compliancy to her action and his resulting grin.  _Oh, yeah.  He’s a goner_.

“Right,” I verified, smiling at the thought of Arwyn.  Then I remembered why this woman’s name sounded familiar and added, “We’re three of the four _stronzos_.”

“Ooh,” she winced a little as she tucked a straight, medium-length lock behind her ear and sat down next to Kai on the couch.  “Sorry about that.  Apparently she found that term useful?”  Her eyes caught Kai’s motion as he put his arm on the back of the couch behind her shoulders, but she didn’t acknowledge it.   _He’s such a smooth operator._

“At least once,” I replied with a small chuckle, taking my seat again.

“Well, where is she today?” she asked, checking around.  “I’d like to meet her.”  I grimaced at that.  Zane and Sofiya had finally realized they weren’t home alone and had broken things up, straightening their hair and clothing as they sat up on the loveseat to join our conversation.

“She broke a major rule this morning and had to be disciplined by Cole,” Kai supplied helpfully, making me grimace again.

_“’Disciplined’?!”_ Renata and Sofiya repeated, unbelievingly, like he’d just said I’d spanked her.

I took a breath and gave them a short outline.  “We’re a team.  I’m the leader.  We have rules.  She broke a big one.  I had to make her miss the trip.”

After regarding me silently for a moment, without expression, the center of Kai’s attention stated, “You _are_ a _stronzo_.”

“I am _not_ a _stronzo!”_ I rebutted a little loudly, causing a few heads to turn.  _But thanks for reminding me that I feel like one._

From across the café, the blonde waitress yelled, “ _Yes_ , you are!” as our new, male server walked up to take our orders.

After he had gone, Sofiya turned on Zane with an irritated tone.  “You said he was in love with her, and that your _sensei_ had made her stay for training!”  Evidently, he _did_ broadcast it nationally. 

Turning on me, she was even more accusatory.  “How could you do that to her, when she hasn’t been off the ship in at least three weeks, then _you_ come running around the city on a day off when you _say_ you love her?!”

Leaning forward, I placed my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands.  Could I feel any worse?  “Zane…?”

Thankfully, he filled in the blanks for me.  “Well, I did not explain that Cole was fulfilling his responsibility by reprimanding her and that he had intended to spend the day training her himself before Sensei insisted on taking over.  And that he had initially planned on taking her to see you and then around the city today.”  His tone turned hopeful.  “Does that make it any better?”

Pursing her lips, she looked at me from under lowered lashes.  “I suppose.  But why have you not yet told her how you feel?!”

Pausing a moment, and closing my eyes, with a resigned outbreath, I finally summed it up aloud.  “Because I’m worried about her rejection, and I’m an idiot.”  There was a brief hush, then both women gave me a round of applause. 

“Amazing that you’re big enough to admit it,” approved Renata, cocking her head in appraisal of me.  “Of course, you’re big enough already…”

Kai nodded at me with a smirk.  “I’m big enough to admit he’s an idiot, too.”  Sofiya’s girlfriend gave him a ‘really?’ look and shook her head.

Over the course of the next half hour, while we drank our caffeinated beverages, the women forced me to tell them about my feelings for Arwyn and why I had not said something to her sooner, ‘like an ignoramus’, according to Renata.

Sofiya assured me that Arwyn most likely did _not_ hate my guts as I feared and would _not_ stomp a mud hole in my heart and walk it dry, even after the shouting match we had had this morning.  She wouldn’t explain further, telling me only that I should trust my heart and have faith that all would end well.  And to not waste another minute.

She had me wondering if I shouldn’t consider employing my shuko and ashiko spikes later to scale the side of the _Bounty_ so I could talk to Arwyn through her bedroom porthole if Sensei insisted on sequestering her until tomorrow.   

During my interrogation and the ensuing advice segment, Kai and Zane had astutely stayed out of the discussion, admiring the women quietly, and possibly making mental notes on what to do if they were caught in a similar predicament later.

After several minutes of ‘Cole on the Hot Seat’, Sofiya finally moved off of me and put the spotlight on Renata, giving Kai a chance to learn a little more about her before they decided it was time to head back to the Fitness Center. 

Sofiya had another class coming up, and Renata needed to change before running an errand and then attending one of her third-year law school classes across town.  She had ridden with Sofiya and Zane on his Snowmobile, so when we gathered outside the coffee shop preparing to leave, Kai took the opportunity to offer Renata a ride wherever she needed to go.

She gave him an odd look out of the corner of her eye.  “Where’s your vehicle?”

Haughtily pulling his sword from its scabbard with a flourish, Kai flipped it end-over-end toward the curb where it transformed instantly into the Blade Cycle.

Seeming a tad nonplussed by the sudden appearance of the Cycle, Renata was unimpressed otherwise.  “Huh.  A motorcycle.  Do you have a brain bucket that goes with this contraption?”

“Excuse me?”

Rephrasing her question, she said more slowly, “Do you have…enough sense…to wear a HEL-met…when you ride this thing?”

Kai scoffed arrogantly.  “If you only knew the dangers I face on a regular basis, riding without a helmet wouldn’t seem like such a big deal.”  When he was done with _that_ declaration, he toned it down a bit.  “But, yeah, I usually have one.”

“I’d rather _walk_ back to the Fitness Center,” she told him as she began to saunter down the sidewalk, tossing back over her shoulder, “But you’re welcome to accompany me.”

Kai hurriedly dispelled the Cycle and whipped his head toward me as Zane and Sofiya roared away.  “Sorry to do this, dude, but I gotta—”

“I know.  Go.”  I waved him off with a tilted grin.  “I’ll catch you later.”  Watching him jog away to catch up with her, I realized I was now the last unattached Spinjitzu master.  And it was my own damned fault.

Doomsday Comix was about two blocks from the Cool Beans Coffee Shop, so I took off for that destination to grab a couple of things for Lloyd and Arwyn and kill a little time until Zane and Kai got free to meet up with me again. 

Otherwise, I wasn’t sure how I was going to occupy my time while in Ninjago City.  Sensei had told me not to come back before five, and it was just barely ten, so this was gonna be a long day for me. 

As I walked along the sidewalk crowded with shoppers and tourists, my thoughts were on Arwyn.  Her distraught look right before Wu had sent her to the training room, and how she had glanced back at me when she was walking away, was stuck in my head.  Had she been hoping for my sympathy, or was she loathing me at that moment? 

And what might she be enduring with our teacher?  It wasn’t like I wouldn’t have worked her hard enough, but Sensei Wu could be really hard-core when he wanted to be, depending on how angry he was, so I knew she wasn’t gonna be meditating or playing badminton all day. 

I guess I wasn’t paying much attention as I strode through the crowd, ‘cause I swear I didn’t see the scrawny guy before he plowed into me, or I ran over him, or whatever. 

I noticed a jolt right before I saw this professional-type hit the ground in front of me.  He huffed angrily and opened his mouth to say something he’d regret later, but thought better of it when he took a good look at me with a thunderstruck expression and politely shut it before anything spilled forth. 

I was wondering if it was my physique or the scythe strapped to my back that kept him from being rude as I grasped his hand to help him up, but then I recognized him.

“Well, if it isn’t Dr. Jin Kita!”  With an unamused show of my teeth, I jerked him to his feet, keeping a firm grip on his hand, while I thought about crushing it.  “This must be my lucky day!  Sorry about knocking you down there.”  I reached out with my other hand to brush the dust from his elbow, causing him to flinch.

“Uh…yeah, pleasure to meet you again…uh…”  He attempted to pull his hand from my fist, which I allowed after a couple of tugs.

“Cole Montanaro,” I informed him with a stiff smile.  “How’ve you been?”

“Just fine, thanks.”  He straightened the expensive jacket that matched his expensive trousers and shoes, making me feel underdressed in my alternative-metal T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. 

“Oh, and, sorry about that hole in your wall,” I said, more as a reminder than an apology.  I only regretted that was _all_ I had done.  “Better that than your head, though, huh?”

Narrowing his eyes, he responded with a little jab.  “Is _Arwyn_ still with you?  Tell her I _really_ miss her.”  _Yeah.  I’ll do that._

He must have seen something cross my face, ‘cause he suddenly seemed in a hurry to flee.

I hooked his upper arm before he could.  “Actually, yes, she _is_ still with me, and doing _very_ well,” I hoped.  “But, you know, she never mentions you, _and_ I don’t think she got that last check you meant to send her…”

Nervousness clouded his features as he avoided eye contact with me.  “Oh, well, I guess my accountant didn’t take care of that!  I’ll see to it…”

“That would be a great idea.  Doctor,” I advised him darkly as I freed him to run.  “You can send it to her old address.  A friend of ours will take care of the rest.”

Widening the distance between us, he prepared to make his getaway.  “Right!  I’ll take care of that as soon as I get back to the clinic.  Sorry to rush, but I have appointments!”  Ducking into the crowd, he was soon out of sight.

_Well, that did my spirits a world of good!  Little prick._

Reaching Doomsday Comix without further mishap,  I perused the shelves for the latest ‘Starfarer’ and the last two ‘ElvishQuest’ issues, finding them easily.  

At one point I paused with disbelief in front of a glass case which held a full set of the current uniforms of the elemental masters.  _Where the frick did they get these?_   _And those signatures are **not** ours! _

Checking out a few minutes later, the gawking of the slightly-creepy cashier was making me a bit uncomfortable before he finally said, “Awesome replica ninja scythe, man.  Did you get it at Comic-con last month?”

_Comi- **what,** now?_   I wasn’t sure how to answer that.  “Um, no, I made it myself.”

“Great job, then!  It looks so authentic!”  He seemed suitably impressed.  I mumbled my thanks and soon found myself back on the street with my books in a bag.

_Where to next?_    Scanning the shops lining the opposite sidewalk, I saw three possible places of interest:  ‘Veronica’s Secret’, an art-supply store, and an antique-jewelry shop.

_Hmm …Might be jumping the gun a little to be considering a visit to ‘Veronica’s Secret’, eh, champ?  But, I like your newfound optimism!_

I had to laugh at myself, not only for thinking I may soon be seeing hers, but because I considered sexy lingerie for Arwyn to be a waste of money.  In my opinion, the best place for it was on the _floor_.None of my dreams about her featured intimate apparel.  I didn’t need straps and lace hindering me in any way when, _and if_ , I finally got the chance to get that far with her.     

Trying to focus on the present again before I stepped into the street and got hit by a car, I decided the art supply store was a safer bet.  Strolling in, I purchased a good set of graphite and colored pencils since I had noticed hers had reached the stubby stage. 

Right after that, I found myself walking up to the antique-jewelry shop next door, with no clue as to what I may be looking to get.  I only knew that I wanted to present Arwyn with a gift a little better than sketch pencils and graphic novels. 

As I entered the little shop, the middle-aged woman running it was impatiently showing a slightly dumpy, thirty-something guy in a brown gi the door.

“No, sir, I will _not_ allow you to put up an advertisement for your dojo in this shop.  I told you that last week!”  I stepped aside and held the door open as she shoved him through it.  “Try the comic-book store across the street, and don’t come back here unless it’s to _buy_ something!” 

Brushing her hands together, she turned to me.  “Thank you, young man!  May I help you with anything?”  My scythe held her attention as she spoke.  Kai was right about it being conspicuous. 

“I’d just like to look around a bit, ma’am.”  _Since I have no idea what I’m looking for_.

She politely left me to myself as I browsed the cases of vintage jewelry, stopping at a display of engagement rings.  I knew it was really premature, but I _did_ like to plan ahead. 

One in particular caught my eye.  A flared, white-gold band held a marquis-cut amethyst with a set of pear-shaped rubies flanking it.  That would be great, since I knew Arwyn’s favorite color was purple.  She wore it all the time.

“Is there anything there you’d like to examine?”  The shop owner had quietly glided up to me while I imagined Arwyn lying next to me, wearing the ring and nothing else, both of us entangled in the sheets…

“Um…just fantasizing…,” I confessed with a sigh.  “It may be a _little_ early for this kind of jewelry.”  She smiled at me kindly.  While peering longingly at the ring again, a thought hit me.  “I know the ruby is my birthstone, for July.  What is the one for February?” 

I remembered her birthdate was the twenty-eighth of that month, although it had taken me longer than I wanted to admit to figure out why she had chosen the times she had used to set our alarm clock.   

“Amethyst,” she answered right away.

_Perfect!  That has to be a good sign … Maybe they do layaway… Okay, seriously, Cole?…_

_“_ Would you have anything in amethyst and rubies that might be nice for a relationship that’s not _yet_ very serious?”  _Or which doesn’t yet officially **exist**?_

“Hmm…”  She walked to a nearby case and, after looking through it for a minute, brought out a pair of stud earrings consisting of a round amethyst surrounded by smaller rubies.  “These might be just what you’re looking for.”

“They _are_ very nice,” I agreed, admiring them.  _But_ … “I just need to ask…Can I return these if she hates me?”

The lady cast me a bemused look over her eyeglasses.  “Don’t you mean if she hates the earrings?”

“No, ma’am.”  I pressed my lips into a straight line.  “I mean if she hates _me_.”  My confidence certainly hadn’t lasted long.

After appraising me for a minute, she asked, “Would these be for your girlfriend?”

Scratching the back of my head, I admitted, “Well, she’s not that…yet.”

Another pause came as she looked me over carefully with a concerned expression.  “Are you _stalking_ this person?”

Startled by her suggestion, I denied it quickly.  “No!”

“And she knows your name?”

I drew a deep breath as I rubbed my temple.  “She knows everything…nearly everything…about me.”  Except how I felt about her.  And the virgin thing.

“And what do you know of her?”

“Nearly everything.”  Except the thing Jay knew.  And now Nya, too.

“Uh, huh.”  Checking me out with a curl to her lips, she arched her brows and stated, “Well, I can _not_ imagine why any young woman would hate _you_ , but I don’t know what you may have _done_ , either.”  She dismissed the thought with a wave of her hand.  “No matter!” 

Adjusting her glasses and studying the earrings in the light as she held up their little velvet box, she mused, “I think you would be making an excellent choice with these as a gift.  If I recall correctly, the amethyst symbolizes peace, gives courage, and strengthens relationships.  Rubies are considered the most powerful gemstones and signify protection and passion.”

She paused and fixed me with a flirtatious look.  “With these earrings, you could be stating that you wish to _valiantly_ protect and defend her, embracing her serenity, increasing her courage, and fortifying your commitment to love.” 

Mesmerized by her words, I stared at the little, glittery gemstones.  _Valiant Valerio_ …?

I’m no hopeless romantic, but she had me sold.  Heck, earlier I’d just been happy they were purple.  “I’ll take them.”

I walked out of the jewelry store with the little box in my jeans pocket, my hopes up and my confidence bolstered.  And I hadn’t spent a fortune.  Supposedly, the earrings had been half-off already, and, since she said she recognized my scythe as belonging to one of the ‘brave, handsome ninja guarding our city’, the charming jeweler had taken half off of _that_. 

Right before I exited the shop, I had even noticed her removing the amethyst-and-ruby engagement ring from the display case.  I was hoping she was graciously putting it to the side for a possible future visit by ‘a brave, handsome ninja’.

Not long after that, my comlink vibrated.  Zane and Kai were free and looking for me.  Meeting up with them a couple of minutes later, we briefly discussed what the ‘three amigos’ should do for the day until I was allowed back on the _Bounty_ and they could reunite with Sofiya and Renata for the double-date they had planned. 

I still couldn’t believe Kai was dating before I was.

As we convened, I noticed my spiky-haired teammate seemed to be much more interested in my zipper than usual, and, although I tried to ignore it, I was about to embarrass him about it when he attempted to do the same to me with a trademark smirk.  “Uh, Cole?  Not that I make a _habit_ of staring at your groin, but I’m really hoping you have something in your pocket right now.”

Biting back a sarcastic remark, I fished the little box out of my pocket, causing both men to take an involuntary step back and inhale sharply like they thought it held something radioactive or was a carrier of the plague.  Kai went as pale as Zane, while the ice ninja stammered, “Cole, I-I understand you love her, b-but is this not perhaps a little _soon?!”_

Rolling my eyes, I lifted the lid of the small container and watched as they simultaneously sagged with relief and laughed sheepishly.  I didn’t tell them I actually _did_ have a ring picked out, unless I felt later that Arwyn would want something different.  They didn’t need to know everything.

After they had calmed down, my fiery brother’s attention was soon caught by the sight of the tallest building in Ninjago City.  It held business offices and had an observation tower at the pinnacle.  None of us had ever been there, so it became the first destination on our tour of the metropolis.

Reaching the top, we lined up along the slanted viewing platform, silently beholding the miniscule figures and vehicles on the streets below, until Kai asked, “Where’s an exit?  Wanna jump off this thing?”  Zane and I hurriedly hauled him out of there before he had time to pull any crazy stunt.

Out on the street a few minutes later, we came across a four-star restaurant, the kind with a valet parking luxury cars and a glorified bouncer at the door calling himself a maître d’.  Despite my protests, Kai ran in, exclaiming that it was about time for lunch. 

The Dragon-Sword toter insistently tried to convince the hoity-toity stuffed shirt that, although we had no reservations, he and I were prominent Ninjago entrepreneurs and Zane was the CEO of a high-profile software corporation.  

The maître d’ wasn’t buying it as he condescendingly eyeballed us in our T-shirts, jeans, and athletic footwear and made a comment about ‘riff raff’.

As we were ‘politely’ escorted to the exit, I’m pretty sure Kai said something profane to the pompous ass, and I _saw_ him flip him off.  Back on the sidewalk, the three of us swaggered to the curb, and, with one accord, turned back to him and bowed with a flourish in _both_ directions, toward and away.  We should have been ashamed of ourselves, but, guess what?

The maître d’ was not impressed, but apparently at least one diner _was_ since she gave Zane a smack of approval on his back jeans pocket as she passed him.  

Transforming our Spinjitzu weapons, we roared off on our respective vehicles as the valet yelled at me for scuffing a car door.  Oh, well, _he_ should try driving the Tread Assault in city traffic!

Driving away, as we haggled over our comlinks about where to go next, I thought about how it might be nice to take Arwyn to a place like that sometime soon.  But I’d have to at least buy a tie first.

A little later, Zane, Kai, and I found ourselves munching on hot dogs and nachos at a Ninjago Gnats minor-league baseball game six rows up behind the batter’s box.  Our lunch there tasted a lot better than I could imagine the fungi and molluscs would have been at Chez Snoote` (shay snoo-tay **;)**.

I wasn’t surprised when Kai started heckling the umpire with comments about his lack of vision and poor judgment.  Those were not his exact words, his were much cruder. 

Conversely, Zane knocked me for a loop when he offered to allow ‘Blue’ to view a slow-motion replay of the game so far so that his future calls might better reflect reality as everyone _else_ saw it.  Those _were_ his exact words.

I kept my mouth shut and enjoyed the comedy, planning on denying I knew them if they got thrown out of the stadium.  I was just appreciating the distraction from worrying about Arwyn, which I did about every three point four minutes.

****Arwyn’s POV**

After about three hours of intense Spinjitzu training, as well as stair-running, rope-climbing, and practicing conjuring my green, concussive energy, I was really wondering what the _hell_ I had been thinking when I decided to go running alone.  ‘Soul-soothing’ it had not proven to be. 

As it was, I was getting exhausted just kicking myself for acting so selfishly and not considering all possible consequences, like dying during an unexpected Serpentine attack, or worse, causing the death of one or more of my beloved brothers. 

None of that had even crossed my mind at the time.  All I had been worried about was how unfairly I was being treated and trying to make myself feel better about my nonexistent love life.  What a crybaby! 

I had never been more ashamed of my actions than I was when Cole had screamed at me about what could have happened while I was out traipsing about cluelessly like a wood sprite. 

It had only gotten worse when he had, much more calmly, reminded me of my duty to the people of Ninjago, and even more so when Kai had spoken his mind.  I was so low at that point that I was certain all of my teammates despised me for my immature, irresponsible rebelliousness, and I would never be able to regain their respect. 

And what of my chances of winning Cole’s affections?  When I had first faced-off with him, the look of disapproval in his striking, greenish-grey eyes had initially fueled my insolence, but after he had pointed out the error of my ways, it had stabbed me through the heart.  He had definitely taken me down a notch or three. 

_If he even wants to be the F-word with you after this, you’ll be frickin’ lucky._

As for Sensei, I had the utmost respect for him, and was coming to love him almost as much as my adoptive father, Ryo.  When he had voiced his disappointment, especially in front of everyone, I knew I’d hit rock bottom.  The only way I could think of getting some absolution at that moment was through performing dogeza, and I knew even that wouldn’t make it all better.  

That morning he was not _‘Chichi’_.  He was purely my teacher, and he spoke only to instruct me as I labored without complaining to complete every task he demanded of me.  At least the work kept my mind somewhat occupied, and if I cried, I couldn’t tell the difference between that and the sweat that dripped from my face.

Finally, he had brought my toil to an end for the morning, and we had joined Lloyd in the dining room for the simple sandwiches he had prepared.  Although he was told that he couldn’t speak to me, Lloyd communicated with me by speaking to Sensei about whatever he wanted me to know, like what he had ordered for supper from Cole.  It did my heart good to know my little cousin was making an effort to make me feel better.

After lunch, my master took a break from his drill-sergeant role, and we ‘relaxed’ with tai chi in the training room with the heavy bag for a while.  It was during the striking-the-tiger sequence that he posed a question instead of grunting an order.  “For what reason did you lose all direction and act so waywardly?”

My kick was out of kilter, and I came down into a crouch less gracefully than I meant to, continuing the poses as I slowly answered, “I lost my focus when I become troubled after realizing that an aspiration of mine was more likely nothing more than a pipe dream.”

Leading me through the poses, he scrutinized me silently for a moment before stating without a doubt, “This involves Cole.”  I closed my eyes to avoid cutting them toward him.  “You must exercise patience and faith,” he advised simply, then said nothing more for the rest of our practice, leaving me to reflect on his words.

****Cole’s POV**

My worrying about Arwyn just got worse after the game when we were wandering around downtown, and Zane suggested the municipal art museum.  I thought about nothing _but_ her as I viewed the breath-taking Renaissance and Impressionism works I _knew_ she would have loved. 

Of course, when we got to the modern-art section, our comments ranged from ‘WTF?!’ to ‘I could do this with my _feet!’_

By the time we got out of there, it was close to the time Zane and Kai were to meet Sofiya and Renata.  Kai started prattling away about how the law student was so hot and smart, and what a funny, yet, dry sense of humor she had, etc.  A few minutes later, when we stumbled on a small parade, it was time for him to shut up already. 

As if he was demonstrating his euphoria over meeting this new woman, Kai handed his sword and scabbard to Zane, then vaulted onto a passing float blasting Latin music and joined the dancers on it, trying a few sexy dance moves, but not quite pulling it off.  The float riders pushed him off about a block later.

It was about four-thirty at that point, and my loyal brothers were anxious to abandon me and run off to start their dates.  I was fine with that, since I still had food to pick up for supper before I could start the trip back to the _Bounty._

I wasgetting more anxious as the afternoon wore on, anticipating getting home and trying to convince Sensei Wu to let me see Arwyn this evening.  That’s why I sat myself at the bar while waiting for my food order at Café Soos and ordered a Long Island Iced Tea. 

Okay, so I got one _without_ the alcohol, although I _really_ could have used it.

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

As I had noted before, Arwyn was very like her mother, although she had not been with her since she was a toddler.  She was strong-willed and could be very obstinate when she was determined to accomplish something.  While I did not wish to crush her spirit, I also did not want her to develop a tendency to overlook her commitment to the team and her obligation to Ninjago in favor of her independence. 

She had lived on her own just long enough to have become self-sufficient and self-reliant, so that she had to relearn how to be subject to the rules and routines of a group, and to think more altruistically.

She had also not yet developed the mindset that following orders and obeying rules was not an option in her situation.  She may be the ninja destined to liberate Ninjago from the dark evil threatening all, but she was the target of much malevolence and had to learn to submit to limits placed in order to shape her and protect her for her future role. 

Her mother had learned that the hard way.  Mave` also valued her independence and railed against Garmadon’s restrictions while in the Underworld, eventually rebelling and escaping his oppressive rule.  When she came to me, I gave her all the freedom she needed, reveling in her jubilation at being unbound.  Until we discovered her pregnancy. 

From the powerful feeling which emanated from her, I was aware that the child she carried was the redeemer mentioned in the scrolls and became very concerned about the safety and security of both mother and baby.  While she understood that Garmadon would be unlikely to simply let her flee from him without pursuing her, she was less vigilant than I, never having seen him at his worst.

I continually warned my love about never going out without my supervision or being far away from my protection, to the point, I must admit, of harrying her.  Most times she was very patient with me, kissing me and reassuringly promising me to never stray.  But there were a couple of times when she had become irritable and refused to speak to me for hours, purposely staying just out of my sight, though never far away.

But there came a day when she was not so careful.  When she was about five months into her pregnancy, we had settled temporarily on the edge of a small village in the Valley of Nadirs at the foot of the Mountains of Impossible Height.  I had grown up in the monastery in the mountains not far away and had always loved that area.

Near our hut, on the shore of a small lake, was a carefully-tended garden which I admired often.  The colors of autumn were at their peak there, and I could spend extended periods of time gazing at the beauty of it all, especially in the early morning. 

Knowing this, and also mindful of the fact that we would most likely be forced to relocate soon due to the incessant prowling of Garmadon’s scouts, Mave` decided to capture the delightful vision of the garden for me without conferring with me ahead of time. 

One morning just as the sun was rising, I woke abruptly to the uneasy feeling that something calamitous was soon to occur.  In the first glow of daybreak, I could see that my beloved was not in our bed.  Reaching out to find the linens cold, I heard her distant scream, and the blood froze in my veins.

Rushing out into the cool, crisp air at first light in only my pajama pants, with my staff in hand, I followed the sound of my name resonating across the lake.  There, on a low rise above the garden, was Mave`, in a blue yukata kimono, frantically struggling in the grasp of two warriors of the skeleton army.  Several more surrounded them, celebrating their catch.

Furious at the sight of my unborn child’s mother being handled in such a way by those vile and loathsome beings, I sprinted up the rise.  Plunging into the small crowd of about a dozen skeletons, with little consideration for my safety, I utilized my Spinjitzu to scatter the majority of their bones to the four winds. 

Screeching to a stop, I easily brought down the last three spares as they came at me wielding their weapons.  Blocking with my staff and forearms, I deflected the shafts of their maces and axes, dodging their pitiful attempts to wound me.  Landing several well-placed, powerful kicks to their sternums and pelvises, I then broke apart their wasted frames, sending them collapsing into small heaps.

Satisfied with my handiwork, I pivoted to concentrate on the two holding Mave`, only to become alarmed to find them dragging her resisting figure toward a portal they were opening several yards away.  Hastily spinning again into my golden tornado, I was able to position myself between the portal and Mave`, halting their progress and facing her two captors. 

One of the skeletons released her, advancing on me with his gruesome, eternal leer, raising his scimitar high.  Having no time for anything impressive, I angrily thrust the tip of my staff into an empty eye socket, sending his promptly-dislocated skull flying with a quick, twisting jerk of my staff up and to the side.  

Turning my attention to the last warrior, I saw that Mave`, unable to break the grip he had on her, had thrown herself to the ground, forcing him to bend in an attempt to lift her up again.  Taking the opportunity, I swiftly smashed his skull with a forceful, downward blow from my bamboo staff. 

The portal behind me immediately closed with a flash of light and a strong gust of wind.

Dropping my staff, I fell to my knees at Mave`’s side where she knelt, crying, but unhurt, save for a few bruises, her arms protectively folded over our treasure in her lower abdomen.  Gathering her to me, I said nothing as she clung to me, her weeping gradually slowing.  I spied her toppled easel at the top of the rise as I scanned the area for more of Garmadon’s troops.

After shattering the skull of every fleshless soldier I had felled, in order to prevent their resurrection, I carried Mave` back to our bed, holding her in my arms until her trembling ceased. 

She explained that she had wished to present me with a painting of the tranquil scene I appreciated so much so that we might take it with us on our indefinite wanderings.  After only a few minutes out alone, she had been surprised by the small contingent of warriors who had wandered in from the other end of the valley.

Knowing it was unnecessary, I did not bother to express my displeasure with her careless behavior before going back to the lake and collecting the bones for a watery burial.  Convinced that the skeletons’ presence there was a random incident, I allowed us another few days in that scenic area, during which time I vigilantly sat on the knoll above the garden at sunrise as Mave` painted her gift to me.

Mave` never again left my protection, until death took her from me.  Years later, the painting she had risked her safety to create for me was one of the canvases lost forever in the burning of the monastery by the Serpentine.

I related this incident to Arwyn near the end of her day of training alone with me, to give her some insight into my relationship with her mother, and to instill in her an understanding of why her recent behavior was unacceptable and why I was punishing her so harshly. 

She had, albeit courageously, ignored Cole’s order to hide and avoid fighting if Serpentine boarded the ship during the attack a few days ago, resulting in her and Lloyd being injured and nearly being taken captive.  She had then disobeyed my rule of not leaving the _Bounty_ without a Master to go running alone.  I was hoping that the current discipline would curtail any further carelessness related to her safety.

Noting the time on the clock that hung on the training-room wall, I rose from my lotus position on the tatami mat and left the room without a word, leaving Arwyn to her meditation.  It was already five-forty, so I was certain Cole was back from his forced day in the city. 

My noble student had been so dismayed by my commandeering of Arwyn’s discipline that I had felt I was punishing both of them.  Yet, I knew it would be more meaningful coming from me, and I did not want her to have feelings of resentment toward Cole for doing that to her, either during or after the day of training.  I did not wish to make things harder for him.

I found him in the kitchen, setting the bags of take-out from the Greek-and-Lebanese restaurant on the counter by the sink.  Lloyd was hovering nearby, gripping a comic book, and telling the tall young man how he had been bringing Arwyn and me beverages and keeping an eye on the bridge all day. 

Spotting me, he quieted for a moment, causing Cole to look over his shoulder.  Seeing me, the imposing ninja faced me with a tense countenance and bowed in greeting.  “Sensei.”

I nodded in acknowledgment.  “I hope you enjoyed your day off, Cole.  Come to the door of the aft-most training room in five minutes.  Listen carefully.  When you hear my staff on the floor, you will be dismissed.”  I left the kitchen as he stood by the counter questioningly.  It was always best to leave them wondering.

Five minutes later, Arwyn was going through some yoga poses as I extinguished my incense.  I had seen her eye the door a couple of times over the last minute, so I knew Cole was probably already stationed outside of it.  _One last little thing_ …

She stopped her stretching when I turned toward her, still in the role of the stern teacher.  “What do you believe you have gleaned from today’s activities and the reason behind them?”

She stood straight and tall, quietly concentrating on my feet for a moment.  “That I must always obey your orders and remember I am part of a team.”

“And…?” I prompted.

She frowned as she searched for another answer.

I tried again.  “And what of Cole…as your leader?”

Understanding came to her face, and her eyes cut toward the door.  She hesitated before answering.  “I must also o-…listen to _him_ …for his directives come from you.”

That had been difficult for her to say, but why?  “Very good.”  The thump on the floor from the butt of my staff resounded through the room.  “We are done.  You have performed well, and you may now go.  I will have someone bring you supper when you are more comfortable.  I believe Cole has brought us something from Café Soos.”

Arwyn bowed wearily to me and collected her towel.  “Sensei, before I go, I have something to discuss with you.”

****Cole’s POV**

_What the hell is he **doing**?!  Is he **trying** to make her despise me?!  _ Closing my eyes and putting my head back against the wall of the hallway, I heard the thud of his staff as I scowled and gritted my teeth in vexed disbelief. 

The woman already had a hard time with having no independence.  Did he have to make her _vow_ to submit to my orders, too?!  And I knew very well that she knew I was within earshot of them and had heard it.  If she didn’t hate me enough before, she certainly would now.

Lloyd was approaching me from the direction of the dining room as I pushed off of the wall and headed toward the bunkroom.  After seeing me, he seemed a little worried.  “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, Lloyd, everything’s fine,” I answered him, knowing I was lying.  He continued to the training room and entered it without knocking, probably anticipating that they were finished for the day, and he could pick up their cups or something.

In the bunkroom, I stripped off my shirt and grabbed clean lounging clothes, preparing to shower before suppertime after running around the city all day.  I was standing on one foot, working on pulling the other foot free of a pant leg, when Lloyd burst into the bunkroom, loudly calling my name. 

Nearly falling, I slammed my foot to the floor and caught the armoire with one hand to steady myself.  I was standing in my red boxer briefs with my jeans around my ankles while Lloyd hyperventilated like he had just run across the Sea of Sand.

“Is there a _problem?”_    I asked irritably. 

The color was coming back to Lloyd’s face, but I know mine lost it when he blurted, “Arwyn told Uncle she wants to leave us!”

“Wh-What did you say?”  _Please let me have heard you wrong!_

His eyes were tearing up as he repeated, “ _She wants to **leave**!” _  Odd how just a few weeks ago he was this upset because she had come to _stay._

I shook my head and took a step toward my bed, tripping in my jeans.  Making it to the bed and sitting with my head in my hands, I tried to remain calm.  “What did you hear EXACTLY?”

“I walked into the room, and she said, ‘I can’t continue like this.  I really want to go.’  Then Uncle said, ‘I understand why you feel you must leave.’  Then they stopped talking ‘cause I had walked in.”  His pleading eyes searched my face.  “Please don’t let her leave!”

Yeah, I was screaming the same thing in my head and fighting panic.  Staring blankly past him across the bunkroom, I felt like I was going numb. 

_This can **not** be happening!  _

I reached out and took him by the shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes.  “I will do everything in my power to keep her here with us,” I vowed to him. 

_To keep her here with **me**_ …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone seen 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'? That inspired Cole, Kai, and Zane's itinerary in Ninjago City!  
> Feel free to comment or drop a kudo!


	20. I Have A Confession To Make...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Backed into a corner, Cole finally reveals his secret to Arwyn. And Jay discloses hers. Sort of...

****Cole’s POV**

_No.  No.  No.  No!  Nnooo!!_

_This is bad._

_This is so, so very bad!_

Tectonic plates were shifting. 

Fault planes were slipping, their lines breaking open to pull me down into the newly-created, grating chasm. 

I could feel myself falling into the gaping maw to be ground to bits between the shearing walls of rock.

Lloyd’s voice brought me back from my temporary stupor.  “Cole?  You’re hurting me.”

I blinked hard and shook my head, easing my grip on his shoulders.  “S-sorry!  I can’t let this happen.  I have to keep her here with me—with us!”  Putting him to the side, I stood, free of my jeans, and paced across the room and back, raking both hands through my hair, feeling myself breaking into a light sweat. 

He stood watching me, looking so young and forlorn, his voice quavering slightly when he asked, “Why would she want to leave us?”  I suddenly saw _myself_ standing there, much as I had ten years ago, asking my father the same thing.  Now I was in my father’s shoes, and Lloyd was in mine, watching another mother figure walk out of his life.

Tensing my jaw and pressing the heels of my hands against my closed eyes, I tried to rub out that memory.  It was _not_ going to happen again.  I would not let it!

Nonetheless, taking a deep breath, I began listing to myself the reasons she may want to ditch us as soon as possible.  We had pulled her out of her safe, secure, and comfortable existence to come here to this drafty, creaky ship and live with a bunch of misfit warriors.  We’d been working her butt off every day until she could barely stand up at night, training her to fight Serpentine and Garmadon, possibly to sacrifice her life for the good of Ninjago. 

We’d demanded that she give up her liberties and submit to our rules.  When she’d broken them, she’d been penalized for it.  She was also physically isolated from everyone she knew and cared about before she met us.  And I _still_ had not let her know someone _here_ couldn’t live without her.  Dear God, why _wouldn’t_ she want to leave us?!

Hell, thinking about all of that, I was surprised she didn’t take off a long time ago.  What _had_ kept her here?  She could have taken a Spinjitzu weapon as transportation, except that she hated flying in Jay’s jet, and jumping over the side of the ship to transform the others wasn’t her cup of tea. 

Unless I was holding her.  She never complained then, only held onto me as tightly as possible.  I loved that. 

However, she still could have gone down the anchor chain and used them from there.  Maybe the thought of stealing them kept her from doing that.

“I won’t let her leave.”

“How’re you gonna do that?  Put her in the brig?” Lloyd inquired hopefully. 

I squinted at him impatiently.  “Really?”  _Could I?_   My pacing stopped as I tapped my creased forehead with a fingertip.  There was only one thing I knew I could legally do.  Something I should have done over a month ago.  “I have to talk to her.  Now!”  I jerked the door open and charged through it, rushing for the training room.

“But, Cole, we’re not supposed to be able to talk to her today!” came Lloyd’s cry behind me, which I ignored.  Reaching the training room, I flung the door open to find it empty. 

The sound of running water came to me from the women’s bath.  Arwyn was already in the shower.  Next on her itinerary was probably to start packing!  And that wouldn’t take her long. 

_Aha!  But without taking my scythe, she has no way of leaving this ship unless someone takes her somewhere!  I don’t **have** to let her get down the anchor chain, and if anyone comes to get her, I don’t **have** to let them onboard!   _

Smacking myself in the forehead, I tried to catch a grip _.  Okay, Cole, now you’re starting to sound a bit nuts!  You’re thinking of kidnapping and holding her against her will.  If you’re trying to make her **want** to stay with you, that’s not exactly the right way to do it… But, hey, any means necessary, right?  It’s not a **bad** backup plan …   _

From there, I dashed to Sensei Wu’s quarters at the end of the hall.  I had to find out from him what she’d had to say and let him know I intended to talk to her this evening—whether he would allow it or not.

Skidding up to his door, I knocked rapidly and heard his answering call for me to enter just as Lloyd began urgently yelling my name from the bunkroom.  With a grip on the door handle, I peeked briefly back at him, then did a quick double-take as I recognized the fact that he was holding my jeans in his hand as he ran up to me. 

Glancing down at my loins in a panic, all I saw were my clingy, red boxer briefs snugly hugging my upper thighs, pelvis, and …everything else.  Snatching the pants from the blonde boy as he got to me, I literally jumped feet-first into them at the same time that the door to Sensei Wu’s quarters opened. 

Jerking the jeans up around my hips, I hopped about to face my mentor at the door, hearing a curious little clunk as something landed on the floor at my feet.  We stared wordlessly at each other for a frozen moment, his expression unreadable save for a tilted brow, mine mortified, since he’d caught me in my underwear in the hallway outside of his door. 

The awkward moment was broken when Lloyd spoke up at my elbow.  “This fell out of your pocket.”  I looked down to see him holding out the little velvet jewelry box containing Arwyn’s earrings. 

Grabbing it from his hand, I mumbled ‘thanks’ and stuffed it back into my pocket as Sensei’s silent gaze narrowed at me.  There were the daggers again.

Going down a mental checklist, I thought about what the reason might be.  Was it the underwear, the jewelry box, or…”Uh, sorry, Sensei.  I’ll get a shirt…”

Before I could go to do that, he responded, “That’s quite alright, but, perhaps…”  His eyes dipped meaningfully to below my waistline.  Following them, I blushed again as I reached down to adjust myself, and zipped and buttoned my jeans. 

“You seem to be in a great hurry.  Is something serious the matter, Cole?”  What?  Seriously?!  He _had_ to know why I was there! 

“I came to speak to you about Arwyn.  I’ve heard some disturbing news.”

His look was quizzical as he contemplated me a second, then he nodded.  “Of course.  Come in before you catch cold.”  I tried not to roll my eyes.  Motioning to Lloyd, he added, “Thank you for assisting Cole, Lloyd.  It appears that he is in great need at the moment.”  Again, I resisted. 

Patting his nephew’s shoulder, he sent him on his way.  “Prepare for supper.  I should like for us to eat before my kibbah gets cold.  And bring Arwyn her meal wherever she plans to take it.”  I frowned at that.   

Closing the door behind us, he motioned for me to sit on the tatami mat as he lifted his teapot to pour the first cup.  Shaking my head and brushing my bangs off of my brow, I politely declined.  “Thank you, Sensei, but I don’t think I can sit right now.”

He politely insisted.  “Down, Cole.”  I dropped compliantly to my knees in seiza as he settled onto his spot and handed me a steaming cup of green tea that smelled of lemon.  I could barely swallow the warm liquid as he sipped from his cup before addressing me.  “How was your day?”

 _Oh, just peachy_.  “Fine,” I responded shortly, hoping he couldn’t hear the bitterness in my voice.  “How did Arwyn fare?”

Nodding, he replied, “She worked very hard, and as you heard earlier, she understands why.” 

“Yeah, I heard.”  _You just **had** to twist the knife_.  Setting my cup on the mat, I drew a breath as I decided it was time to stop ignoring the elephant in the room.  “And now she wants to leave.”

His eyes showed no surprise that I knew this.  “Were you still at the door when she spoke of it?”

“No.  I was in the bunkroom.”  I didn’t want him to think I’d been eavesdropping.  “Lloyd walked in while you were discussing it.  He was understandably upset and notified me.”  I put the ball in his court.  “What do you intend to do?”

“Allow her to go, of course.”  His serene demeanor never changed, even as he saw my mouth gaping open.  Sipping his tea, his eyes did not stray from mine.  “So you know only what Lloyd heard?”

“Isn’t that enough?!” I gasped out, astonished that he was so laid back about this.  Didn’t it matter to him?  I knew I was about to overstep my boundaries, but I couldn’t help myself.  Gesticulating energetically, my voice rose in desperation.  “She’s the Green Ninja, your daughter!  How can you just let her leave like this?  Don’t you care about her and her destiny, and want her to stay here?!”  _He is unbelievable!_  

My teacher seemed to take my flare-up in stride.  “I am aware of her roles, and certainly I care about her, but we cannot deny her the right to do this.”

Gripping my knees and breathing deeply to calm down before he lost patience and whacked me with his staff, I considered the possibility that he was getting senile.  As some of my agitation subsided, I was able to ask more quietly, “Why is she doing this?  Did she give any reasons?”

He nodded slowly, watching me carefully.  “She has her reasons, naturally, and they are valid.”

I covered my face with both hands, and then dragged them down again.  “She thinks we’ve been too hard and unfair to her, we’ve ruined her life, and she hates us, right?”

His gaze remained steady on me, with just the barest hint of a single twitch of one eye.  “You will have to speak to her directly if you wish to fully comprehend.”

I’d had enough of this inactivity.  Jumping to my feet, I stated sharply, “Fine!  Then I want to talk to her now!”

He reached for the teapot.  “She is not to see anyone for the rest of the day…”

 _Oh, my GOD!_   Pacing by the mat, I implored, “Then let the day end at sunset with the daylight!  I can’t _wait_ until tomorrow!  I’ll not be able to sleep!  I’ll get her up at midnight, or…,”  I stopped and faced him with my jaw set and arms crossed over my bare chest, trying to look as imposing as possible.  “I’ll just see her this evening _without_ your permission!”

As a cube of sugar fell from his fingers and plopped into his cup, he kept an eye on me, as though daring me to carry out my threat to defy him.

I tried staring him down, but it wasn’t working for me.  _Crap!  He’s calling my bluff!_   Admitting defeat, I spread my hands apart at the height of my shoulders and asked in frustration, “Doesn’t it _bother_ you that she’s wanting to do this?!  How can you be so calm?”

“How can _you_ be so upset?” was his unruffled response.

Starting to pace again, I stopped dead in my tracks and thought, _This is it, man.  You’d may as well start here and get the practice._ I swallowed hard. 

“Okay.  I’m gonna lay it on the line.  When Arwyn first got here, you told me to train her and do nothing else.  I tried.  I tried _so damn hard_.  But this has become too much for me to handle.  I can’t continue to fight this.”  Wu said nothing as he briefly turned his attention to pouring more tea into my abandoned cup.

I pressed on.  “I’m past the point of caring that she’s the Green Ninja or your daughter or any of that.  I don’t know if you approve of me or if I’m worthy of her—hell, I don’t even know if she’ll accept me!  But I do know that I am hopelessly in love with Arwyn, and there’s nothing you can do about it!  I cannot let her go.  I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her here.” 

My bearded master continued to partake of his tea and observe me placidly like this wasn’t news to him.  Did he not hear what I just said?  _Why won’t he say something?  Why is he torturing me?_

My knees hit the mat across from Sensei as I tried to find some common ground with him, absently taking the refilled cup he offered me.  “Arwyn told me all about you and Mave`.  You have to understand what I’m going through.  You’ve loved like this at least once.”

Something far away flickered in his eyes when he finally spoke with some sadness.  “And I continue to do so.” 

At last, a breakthrough!  I leaned forward in entreaty.  “Then, please, don’t deny my request to talk to her this evening!  I’ve stupidly put this off long enough!  I have to tell her how I feel about her, and try to keep her from leaving us, no matter how she feels about me.”

As I waited anxiously for his answer, I became aware that I was currently on my knees and begging this man to allow me to see his daughter.  As an adult, I had never begged him or anyone else for anything.  How much lower was I prepared to debase myself if she rebuffed me?

“You have my approval, for I believe you to be extremely worthy,” he said warmly, a small smile crinkling his eyes.  “At sunset, then.”

Dropping my head with a relieved exhalation, I bowed a little more, saying, “Thank you, Sensei.”

Switching to a reproachful tone, he added, “And be sure to be fully dressed when you do.” 

I ducked my head again to hide the smile his uncalled-for instruction brought to my face as it reminded me of Arwyn’s shameless, admiring gawking at my partial nudity in the bathroom yesterday.  I was more than willing to undress as much as I could for her, especially if that would help my case later.

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

For all his attempts to always hold everything and everyone together, to be the bedrock, I was not very surprised that Cole had finally somewhat come apart at the seams, even threatening disobedience, during the little scene in my quarters. 

I was just a little disappointed that it had taken the risk of Arwyn leaving the group to get him to this point.  And I was concerned about what the little box might hold.  I supposed I would find out soon enough.

After we had finished our tea, I had sent him out for a shower and more clothing and checked to see that Arwyn had received her supper.  On the quarterdeck, she had stationed herself on a blanket with a pillow on the starboard side of the bridge, enjoying a view of the forest to the west. 

It was apparent that she was fatigued from the day’s activities, but her aura, as it had been all day, was also darkened and subdued.  I was hoping that by tomorrow, Cole would have it restored to its usual vibrancy.  But it did not need to be _too_ vibrant.

The mood in the dining room was also darkened and subdued.  At the dining table, a fog of angst and gloom hung over my two supper companions.  It was already unnaturally quiet, since more than half of the usual diners were absent, but now I had one pent-up, tormented, adult male, as well as a long-faced, preadolescent male with whom to deal. 

Cole, who was now fully dressed in a T-shirt and cargo shorts, barely ate from his plate of shish taouk with hummus and tabbouleh.  Instead, he spent most of his time intently watching the sun’s slow journey through the trees through the western window across the table from him. 

On his left, my usually-exuberant nephew Lloyd said very little and hardly ate more, mostly just poking at his gyro sandwich.  Although he, too, was noticeably distracted, Cole attempted to encourage the boy to eat it, instead of treating it like a hockey puck, using the promise of baklava as incentive. 

I, on the other hand, had plenty of appetite for devouring my kibbah and chicken shawarma, earning me peculiar, sidelong glances from my morose tablemates.  It failed to bother me.  I could still enjoy my meal without the conversation and banter.   

When the sun was no longer visible through the trees, Cole shot me a hopeful look, causing me to fight the urge to roll my eyes as the young ones always did as I inaudibly granted him permission to go.  The entire table shifted about a foot as he shoved himself away from it and vanished from the dining room in a flash, leaving Lloyd and me alone.

Acknowledging Cole’s newly-vacated spot, Lloyd asked with a sigh, “Do you think when he tells her he likes her, he’ll be able to talk Arwyn into not leaving us?”

Taking in Lloyd’s melancholic features, I knew I could keep this to myself no longer.  “Let this be a lesson in not jumping to conclusions when you overhear only part of a conversation, dear nephew,” I began kindly as I set my fork next to my half-eaten shawarma. 

His puzzled countenance met me as I continued, “After weeks of his agonizing self-discipline and planning, your misinterpretation of the dialogue between Arwyn and me has forced Cole’s hand, which is a good thing.”  His confusion was clearly deepening. 

Stroking my beard reflectively, I added, “However, in retrospect, had it not been for my interference and discouragement, or Cole’s inflated sense of propriety and respect for me and Arwyn, he would have had this done weeks ago.  Perhaps.” 

I could tell I was losing Lloyd’s focus and interest.  “You misunderstood what you heard, Lloyd.  Arwyn only asked for permission to visit her parents in Miyagi.  She is _not_ leaving us.”

His eyes widened and a broad smile of happiness graced his face right before he leapt straight up from his seat.  “THAT’S WONDERFUL!”  Sitting once again, he made a face.  “But, why didn’t you let Cole know that?”

“Eh, I know he has suffered enough, but he needed a little kick in the seat of his pants for more motivation.”

****Cole’s POV**

Already knowing since before I went to the dining room that Arwyn was not having supper in her bedroom, I headed straight for the stairs up to the main deck, taking the wooden steps two and three at a time, halting briefly once I arrived at the top. 

As the shades of twilight began to creep across the timbered surface, I checked around quickly, and, when I didn’t see her anywhere, ran to the port railing with a sense of foreboding to see if any new footprints might be visible in the sand around the anchor beneath us. 

Relieved to find a pristine surface, I was already beginning plans to start searching every nook and cranny of the ship when I saw her head duck back behind the starboard corner of the bridge.  Seeing her instantly brought a smile to my lips.

It seemed like days since I’d last seen her, instead of about ten hours.  Today was the longest period I had been away from her since she had come to the _Bounty_.  I couldn’t wait to get up there.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked a few seconds later.  Not waiting for her invitation, I took a seat across from her on the bed quilt she had spread on the rough floor next to the bridge.  She was wearing a sleeveless, buttoned top with cotton shorts, her dark hair loose, while occasional gusts of the warm, desert breeze moved wavy locks around her face and shoulders.  _Beautiful._  

Sitting cross-legged with her plate in her lap, she looked up from the meal I had brought her, her eyes darting doubtfully past me.  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be fraternizing with me today…”

I waved that away indifferently.  “I okay’d it with Sensei Wu.  He’s good with it.”  She shrugged and took a small bite of falafel.  “I wanted to talk to you.”

Pausing in her chewing, she considered me solemnly before baiting me with, “Are you sure you want to be talking to the ‘selfish’ ninja?”

 _Ow_.  That comment was coming back to kick me in the ass.  “I didn’t _say_ you were selfish.  I just meant that you made a thoughtless decision…”

Obviously, she wasn’t in the greatest of moods.  This was going to be challenging.

Finishing her bite, she nodded with acceptance.  “I know, I know.  I’ve thought a lot about all that all day, and I’ve come to terms with it.  Something like that won’t be happening again.”

 _Of course it won’t, if you’re not here_ , I thought as dread squeezed my heart.

Trying to stay cool, I attempted to gather information.  “What brought that on, anyway?”

With a dismissive gesture, she turned away as she answered, “Just something that happened, something I was thinking about that bothered me.  I’m handling it.”

What could she have thought was so bad that she ignored everything else?  “Anything I can help with?”

She laughed humorlessly.  “I wish.  Don’t worry about it.”  Putting her unfinished meal to the side, she changed the subject with a tired grin.  “Thanks for the food.  I like that little café.  I always get their shish taouk.”  I’d have to remember to order differently next time.  If there was a next time. 

She tried to sound lighter.  “How was your day off?”

“I spent most of it with Kai and Zane.  Kinda interesting.  I’ll tell you about it later.”  Leaning back on my hands, I laid an easygoing grin on her.  “But, I would rather have been here with you.”  Not a bad way to ease into it. 

I thought.

Her brows came down as she fired back, “Why, so you could _pummel_ me all day, too?  Didn’t you get enough out of screaming at me this morning?”

“ _What?!”_   Losing my grin, and my confidence, I sat up straight on the quilt.  I hadn’t envisioned the conversation taking _this_ route.

“Look, I know I screwed up and probably lost everyone’s trust and respect.”  In an instant, she was on her feet, standing over me on the blanket with a look of distress.  “But do you need to _hammer_ it into me more?” 

 _Oh, no._   “No… _no!_   You’ve got the wrong idea!  That’s not what I meant…”  Confused as to how this had taken such a turn, I returned her wounded glare with one of my own.

Her eyes were beginning to glisten as her voice rose unsteadily.  “You even got something like a promise to obey you out of me!  What _more_ do you want?!”  

 _Thanks, Sensei_.  I _knew_ I was gonna pay for that.

“Nothing!  I wanted _nothing_ like that!”  She took a couple of steps away from me when I rose to stand before her.  “That vow business wasn’t even my doing!  I just want you to _listen_ to me to keep you safe!”  She avoided my eyes as I spoke.  “Is that the reason you want to leave?”

“…One of the reasons.”  Great.  I was going to have to jump straight to begging her to stay.  

“You can’t go.”

“What?!”  She gaped at me like I had a Serpentine head.  “Sensei said you’d have no problem with me going, that you’d be _fine_ with taking me!”

“How could he _say_ that?!” I asked, thinking now that the man must surely be going senile.

 _“Why_ would you deny me?  Is this more punishment for going against you?!”  Pivoting sharply away from me, Arwyn briskly walked around the front of the bridge, yelling over her shoulder, “Do you hate me _that_ much for running off?”

I followed quickly behind her.  “’Hate you’?  Hell, no!  If anyone was being despised right now, I would think it would be _me_!”

“Of all the nerve!”  Before I could catch up to her, she had reached the only door of the bridge, opening it and slipping through the portal in the blink of an eye.  “I don’t want to talk about this anymore!” 

The door slammed shut in my face, foiling my pursuit.

I rattled the door handle vigorously.  She had locked the damned thing!  “Arwyn, open this door!  I have to talk to you!  I have to explain something!”  Silence from the other side. 

 _Oh-kay_.  I was willing to play hardball.  “I will _not_ hesitate to break open this _stupid_ door!  You have to let me explain why I don’t want you to quit the team!”

Listening a moment, but still hearing nothing, I nodded with grim determination.  _If that’s the way she wants it, then let the fur fly_ …

Taking a step back and lowering my shoulder, I barged forward, but caught only the edge of the door as it opened without warning.  As I hit it, it was flung to the side, and I unexpectedly plowed into Arwyn where she had stood with her hand on the interior handle before it was jerked from her grasp. 

Throwing my arms around her as I hit her like a linebacker, I heard her grunt of pain as she started to say my name.  Losing my balance when we connected, I took her down rolling as I endeavored to cushion the overall blow.  We came to rest with Arwyn on top of me, my arms around her waist, our legs interlaced.  But I didn’t get a chance to enjoy it.

She caught her breath, then demanded, “Let me go right now!”  Angrily pushing against my chest with both hands, she was able to lift her upper body somewhat away from mine, but kept full contact with everything else while struggling against me. 

Fighting me the way she was, I had two potential problems.  One, she was pretty strong, so I wasn’t sure how long I could hold her if she really wanted to get away.  And, two, physically, I was finding it immensely pleasurable.  I had to change this arrangement soon before she noticed.

However, someone else was presently commanding our attention.  “Uh, guys?”  Jerking our heads toward the entrance together, Arwyn ceased resisting, while I tried to act as though nothing was amiss about our current, less-than-decorous position.

Lloyd stood in the doorway, surveying us interestedly with a plate in his hands.  “I thought I’d…uh, bring you some baklava before the others get back and eat it all.”

With as much composure as I could muster while lying on my back on the floor under Arwyn, I responded with a smile, “Well, that was thoughtful of you, Lloyd.  Just drop it there on the counter, and we’ll have some in a minute.”  When he didn’t move to do it right away, I asked pleasantly, “Did you enjoy yours?”

That seemed to spur him, as he made his way to the counter to follow my instructions, nodding as he went.  “Yeah, it was great!  Thanks for bringing it.”  When he had accomplished his task, he eased toward the door, as Arwyn and I both kept still, watching him in silence.  Arriving at the exit, Lloyd stole one last, curious look back at us with a sharp grin that suggested he thought he knew what we were up to.

Raising an eyebrow, in a somber tone I advised him, “Sensei doesn’t need to know about this.”  Mutely bobbing his head with his little conspirator’s smile, he finally left the bridge, shutting the door behind him.

While she was still momentarily distracted by Lloyd’s interruption of our discussion, I swiftly rolled with Arwyn, smoothly flipping her onto her back.  Getting up on my hands and knees over her, I held her in place by her upper arms as she grasped my elbows. 

Although she was protesting strongly, as I gazed down at her with her silken hair spread on the floor around her head, I couldn’t help thinking, _Oh, man.  She looks like she does in my dreams.  Except for the irate glare_.  _And the hollering_.

When she brought her leg up a little, I became conscious of the fact that she had a thigh between my knees and a clear shot at me if she was pissed enough.  I could only pray she was merciful, although, by the expression on her face, I wasn’t really expecting it.

In between her ultimatums, I appealed to her, “Just hear me out!  That’s all I ask!  It’s not a directive, it’s a request.  There’s something that you really need to know.  Okay?”

She still gripped my arms hard, but quieted and quit squirming, her glare softening.  “Talk.”

Pulling her up into seiza before me as I sat back on my heels, our knees together, I slid my hands down her arms to her wrists, still holding her firmly like I was afraid she’d run away.  She clasped my wrists just as securely as we faced one another. 

This was it.  Time to say what should have been said weeks ago. 

 _This should be easy_ , I thought as I concentrated on her expectant, chocolate-brown eyes.  _You’ve already admitted this to several people.  No big deal, right?_   Then why did I feel the effects of the adrenaline coursing through my body like I was leaping unarmed into heated battle with a thousand Serpentine warriors? 

Probably sensing this was difficult for me, Arwyn tipped her head a little as if encouraging me as I inhaled slowly, reassuring myself that no matter how this turned out, it was unlikely to kill me, even if I’d _want_ to die.

Although my mouth was parched and my throat constricted, I was somehow able to speak.  “You can’t leave the team.  Not because you’re the Green Ninja, but because I am so in love with you, that my world will crumble and fall apart if you leave me.”  Her eyes widened, and the pressure of her fingertips on my trembling arms increased.  

I soldiered on, the words miraculously flowing from my mouth.  “I fell for you the day I met you, and I was foolish, thinking it wasn’t right because of what and who you are.  But no matter what I do to deny it, every day my love for you grows more intense, my need for you grows stronger.”  Her lips parted as her jaw dropped a bit in shock.

“You are everything good and vital in my life.  A smile from you sends me to nirvana.  A touch from you, and I have no strength at all.  Every waking moment is spent thinking of you.  Every dream revolves around you.” 

Her face pale, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but I couldn’t stop yet. “I’ve done a lot of things, and been all over Ninjago, but none of that ever made me feel so alive and happy as I do when I’m with you, no matter what we’re doing.”  

“You give me so much, without even knowing, and, yet, I have nothing to offer you in return.  I don’t have a college education or a job or money.  No house, no car, no stability.”  I shifted my gaze from hers, knowing what that made me sound like. 

“My heart, soul, and loyalty are all I have to offer, and you have them already, whether you want them or not.”  She squeezed my wrists harder, making me look up at her once again.

Frowning, she shook her head side-to-side, while unshed tears shone in her eyes, causing me to fear the worst, so I voiced it.  “I once said, ‘There ain’t nothing in this world that I’m afraid of’.  That was before I met you.  Now I am _terrified_ of something happening to you, or of you leaving me.” 

“I know there’s probably no reason for you to feel the same about me, and, although I’m hoping against hope that’s not true, if it is, please, at least consider staying for Lloyd, Sensei, and Ninjago.”  She bowed her head.  “Even if you don’t care about me, I think I could still survive if I have you nearby.”  _At least until you found someone else_ …

“Just don’t go,” I whispered.

We were still tightly clutching each other’s wrists as if they were lifelines.  Dusk was deepening, taking the light of day with it.  Between that and the way her hair hung loose, I couldn’t see her lowered face.  Bending forward, I slowly pressed a kiss on the crown of her head before tensely sitting back into seiza to await her response.

A familiar tone from the radar pulled my attention from Arwyn.  Inspecting the large, glowing screen across the bridge from us, I verified that the blue blip was Jay’s.  He and Nya were coming in and would arrive in about a minute. 

Feeling her readjust her hands on my wrists, I anxiously turned my gaze back to Arwyn.  She was looking at me uncertainly, the light from the radar glinting off of her wet cheek, as she gave her head a little shake.  “Y-you _love_ me?  _Me?”_ I nodded with a tentative smile.  “That was beautiful.”  She still looked stunned.  “You’re so wonderful…. You must be crazy.”  My brows arched.  This was not the reaction I had expected. 

Her demeanor was one of skeptical shock.  “I’ve been nothing but trouble for you since I got here.  I’m more responsibility for you, I-I brought dissention between you and Kai, I’ve ignored your orders several times—”

“None of that matters!  I still love you!” I insisted, shaking my head rapidly.  “It’s all been worth it since I have you here!”  What was she trying to do?  Convince me I was wrong to care about her so it wouldn’t hurt so much when she delivered the _coup de grace_ and told me she didn’t feel the same?

“…I’m the reason _Chichi’s_ been on your back, the cause of you nearly giving up as leader, the reason Jay—”

As if she had called for him, the door to the bridge swung open, revealing the lightning ninja in his flashy, flowery shirt and usual toothy grin with Nya following directly behind him. 

“Hey, guys!  Lloyd said something was going on in the bridge.  Wazzup?  Why isn’t the light on in here?”  As he ambled in and flicked on the light switch, looking quizzically at the radar, I noted the sudden awareness that lit Nya’s face when she stopped just inside the door. 

Understanding immediately what must be going on between Arwyn and me, she gave me a thumbs-up with a questioning look.  I answered her with a mere nod. 

Jay, however, was completely oblivious. 

Scowling lightly at my usually-blue brother, I made an effort to clue him in.  “Nothing’s up.  We’re good, Jay.”  _Please go away!_

Nya tried to help me out.  “Yeah, um, Jay, why don’t we go down below and find a movie to watch or something?”  Snagging him by the wrist, she started to pull him away, when Arwyn astonished me.

“Jay, wait!”  Letting go of my wrists and pulling out of my hold, she got up quickly and grabbed his other arm, finally smiling.  “It’s time!  Do you want to be the one to tell him my secret?” 

 _Crap.  I kinda forgot about that_.

His eyes lit up, and his grin got bigger, if that’s possible.  “Oooh!  I get to tell him?!  Man, this is _awesome!”_   He rubbed his hands together in delighted anticipation, making me really uncomfortable about what might follow.  I didn’t need an audience if she decided to humiliate me.

At his side, Nya frowned with doubt.  “Uh, Arwyn, are you sure you want _him_ to do that?  Maybe we should go, and you two can talk alone…”  _Excellent idea._

Rising from seiza, I agreed with Nya, reaching out to get my hands on Arwyn again.  “Yeah, thanks for checking on us, Jay, but I’ve think we’ve got a handle-”

“No, Jay, it’s only fair you get to tell him.”  Arwyn had other ideas, even as she allowed me to reel her back towards me.  “You kept this in for me for a long time, even when I _know_ it was killing you to tell.  Now you can.”

“Hoo, boy, am I gonna enjoy _this!_ ”He paced excitedly back and forth a couple of times, as Nya gave up trying to control her beau and sat at the table, leaning on an elbow and propping her chin in her hand with an apologetic eye on me. 

Arwyn stood with her back to me as I stepped up closer to her, placing a hand on either of her shoulders.  She reached up to grasp my fingers tightly as we waited for Jay to start.

With a clap of his hands, he finally seemed to have decided on an impromptu approach that fit his style.  “Okey dokey, artichokey!  Here we go!”  Eyeing me directly, and raising a finger, he began, “Bro, you don’t know how _badly_ I’ve been dying to do this!  I have been trying and _trying_ to get you to break down so we could get this done, but you have a really _strong_ will, you know?  I mean, like, rock-solid powerful!  I don’t think the bunch of us together could have _beaten_ this out of you!” 

 **_What_ ** _is he talking about?_

He walked a few more steps before he stopped and turned toward us, crouching a little and holding up both hands in front of him as though he was stopping traffic.  “Well, now that we’ve finally reached this stage, let’s just _slow down_ and analyze this for a moment, shall we?” 

Nya rolled her eyes and checked her comlink watch. 

Straightening his posture, he tapped a finger on his chin as he regarded me.  “It would seem that **_I’ve_** known something for a while that you _don’t_ know, that you’ve badly _wanted_ to know, and you’ve truly _needed_ to know, but you just _now_ _finally_ figured out the password…”

His theatrics were already beginning to increase my edginess, and I could feel Arwyn’s shoulders tensing under my hands as he went on.  “Jay, get to the point…”

“…and you continually _pestered_ me to share this information…”

“ _Jay_ …,” I growled in warning.  Arwyn patted my hands.

“… _and_ you even unceremoniously _dragged_ me out of my bunk and _threw_ me onto the floor to try to get this information…” 

Arwyn turned to look at me reproachfully over her shoulder, while Nya cocked an eyebrow in my direction.

He was _so_ gonna get me in trouble with those two.  And then I was _so_ gonna get him if he did.  “Just _tell_ me, man!” 

“…and you _and_ Kai got all bowed up, big and bad, and threatened to trounce me for it… _Unjustly_ , I might add!”  I got another look askance from the women.  “Ooh!  I’ve got an idea!  Maybe we should wait for _him_ to get here for this, too…”  He checked his watch and the radar.

“Jay!   _NOW!”_ He was making me sweat here!

“Hey, bruiser, don’t get your panties in a wad!  Doesn’t it take, like, a bazillion years for the earth to form coal and things like diamonds?  Plus, an absurd amount of heat and pressure, and the right—”

“You’re about to feel _a lot_ of pressure!” I promised him.

He had the nerve to smirk in my face.  “You’ve waited five weeks, you can wait for a few more minutes, Mr. Eager Beaver!”

Nya and Arwyn didn’t necessarily agree with that.  “ _NOW_ , JAY!”

“Alright, already!”  He waved both hands in front of him to calm them down.  “Geez, you people are really impatient.  You’d think as ninja you’d be better able to handle frustration.  If you remember, waiting out the enemy _was_ one of your lessons recently, Arwyn.” 

She tensed more as I assumed from his reaction that she was threatening him with a piercing glare.

“Ahem.”  Clearing his throat, he took on the stance of an instructor beginning a lecture.  “Well, let us continue.  Now, Cole, you’ve needed to know this from the very beginning, but Arwyn was afraid to tell you and get a bad reaction from you or get hurt.” 

Arwyn impatiently motioned with a circling of her hand for him to get to the point. 

Ignoring her, he focused on me.  “‘Cause then she’d still have to live with you, and things would get pretty sticky, and she might end up wanting to seriously harm you in your sleep or break your scythe or something, ergo, she refused to be the first to say anything.”  He was tap dancing on my last frayed nerve here!

Finally, he took a deep breath.  “So, this is it…The secret you’ve been wanting to know!  Get ready!…Here it comes!…Drum roll, please!”  He stopped traffic again with a serious expression.

“She’s really…”

He paused for effect.

“A _dude_.”

**_“JAY!”_ **

My hands were instantly hanging in empty air as Arwyn launched herself toward our brother, reaching for his neck.

 _That can’t be right_ , I thought, as I took in the alluring curves proportioned just right for her athletic, yet feminine, body. 

I’m sure my expression was one of flabbergasted confusion as I watched Arwyn wrestling with Jay. 

Yelling _“Tell him, already!”_ she was yanking on his collar, his head jerking back and forth as he laughed hysterically, barely holding her back with his arms stiffly extended. 

Nya still sat at the table, leaning forward and covering her face with one hand as she silently shook her head. 

“Okay, okay!” he gasped between belly laughs.  “I _will!”_   Apparently satisfied that Jay would finally get down to business, Arwyn released him and rushed at me, nearly bowling me over literally and figuratively as she threw her arms around my neck, beaming up at me. 

Looking down at her glowing face, my hopeful arms encircled her at once as I reveled in the sensation of her form molding against mine, warm and supple in all the right places, making it awfully challenging to concentrate on Jay’s next words. 

His hilarity slowly subsiding, Jay stepped up to me, holding his abdomen with one hand, and placing the other on my shoulder. 

Swiping away a fictitious tear, he at last sputtered, “Seriously, man, Arwyn loves you like _crazy!_   She’s been _madly_ in love with you since the day you two _met!_   I found out about it accidentally the day after that!  _And_ didn’t tell anyone!” 

Joyous relief was causing my legs to feel shaky as I comprehended his disclosure.

He glanced over at his extremely tolerant significant other.  “I didn’t say anything until Nya forced me to tell _her_ this morning,but _she_ threatened to castrate me!”  He faced me again with a self-satisfied look.  “I think I deserve a medal for keeping that secret!”

Nya saw that as an opportunity to clear the room.  “You’re so right, sweet pea!  Let’s go find one for you!”  Hopping up from the table, she speedily bustled the lightning ninja out of the bridge, slamming the door behind them, and leaving Arwyn and me blessedly alone.

Desperately wanting to believe, but a little afraid to do so, I searchingly fixed Arwyn’s gleaming eyes with mine, whispering hopefully, “Is it true?  Have you felt this way about me all along?”

Nodding slowly with an ecstatic smile, she brushed the bangs off of my forehead with the fingertips of one hand, while she caressed the nape of my neck with the other, entwining her fingers in my hair. 

I languidly closed my eyes while I happily savored her sensuous touch and listened to her glorious words, not even flinching with her use of my full name.  “Valerio Cole Montanaro, I love you truly, madly, deeply, more intensely than I’d ever dreamed was possible, and I have since the night we spent together at my apartment.  I honestly don’t know how I’ve lived this long without you.” 

Her fingertips moved from my brow, ever-so-lightly over the side of my face, and gently down my neck, which I couldn’t remember ever being so sensitive.  Her touch was rapidly raising my pulse rate, among other things.  

Her words lifted me higher.  “I adore everything about you.  I cherish every moment we spend together.  You believe I can do anything, and you make me believe it.  I like myself more when I’m with you.”

Tracing back up my throat and over my chin, her fingertips came to rest as lightly as a butterfly on my lower lip where I was enticed to kiss them before she removed them again.  Meanwhile, the provocative ministrations on the back of my neck continued with the other hand until I felt like I was melting.

“I was just afraid to tell you sooner how I loved you since I’d gotten hurt a few times before by wearing my heart on my sleeve.  Still, every now and then, I thought I might be able to tell you.”  Her soft tone lulled me.  “You’d give me hope that you felt the same, but then you’d suddenly pull back, distance yourself, and act as though I didn’t matter much to you.”

Out of the blue, she punched me hard in the shoulder, announcing with a touch of spite, “ _That’s_ for making me wait so damn long.”

Jerked out of my dreamy state, I winced, but still held her to me, explaining, “I did it out of respect for you as the Green Ninja and for Sensei Wu.”

“Having your respect shouldn’t mean we live without knowing we love one another.  That’s not how I want us to be.”  She slid her hand along my upper arm and under my T-shirt sleeve to the sore spot on my shoulder, massaging my deltoid gently with her thumb as goose bumps swept over my skin. 

“Then you apologized for yesterday, sounding to me like you had done that just because you’d had a chance, not because you cared for me.  When I thought you didn’t care about me beyond being a teammate, I felt like something in me had died.  I didn’t know how I was going to stay here and live with you every day, without you loving me.  That’s why I was upset this morning.”

As she’d spoken, I’d gradually guided her to the nearest wall until her back was to it.  Releasing her, I placed one hand on the wall above her shoulder and cupped her cheek with the other, while she gazed up at me with eyes filled with yearning, matching my own feelings.  

Leaning forward, I brushed my lips and cheek against her temple, inhaling her heady fragrance, and murmured,  “As for yesterday, I think this is where we were interrupted.”

In response, she seized a handful of my T-shirt, urging me in closer, while I easily obliged, until the length of my body was pressing hers lightly against the wall. 

I knew at that point there was no hiding how much I wanted her as I took her face in my hands and brought my hungry mouth down to cover hers, softly at first, then harder, our lips seeming to burn with the contact. 

Never had I had a kiss returned as passionately as Arwyn did.  Interweaving the fingers of one hand through the hair at the back of my head, she trapped me to her, while the fingertips of her other hand dug into the thick muscle of my back.  Clinging tightly to me, her willing lips parted easily for my questing tongue, meeting it with her own.    

Neither had I ever kissed a woman with as much ardor as I did then with Arwyn.  I was becoming intoxicated by her delightful taste, the touch of her soft and eager lips, the warm, clean scent of her skin and hair.  Every muscle in my body hardened with the desire I felt at that moment for the woman I held. 

My exploring hands roamed over her neck, shoulders, and chest, down to her waist and hips, finally settling along her spine as I pulled her ever closer to me, gripping her as though I was afraid she would disappear.  She arched against me, her soft curves surging into my hard planes, as though attempting to share the same space, fitting perfectly.

Our fervor for one another was quickly reaching a fever pitch as the kiss went on.  Something in the back of my muddled mind suggested I was gonna have to put the brakes on this before it careened out of control, although I was already finding it _way_ too hard to hold back with this incredible woman in my arms.

Forcing myself to break the scorching kiss with a small gasp, I buried my face in the sweet-smelling hair against her neck, willing the frenetic cadence of my heart and breathing to slow. 

Dusting my neck and shoulder with nibbling kisses, she was ruining my efforts to calm myself, only worsening the tiny, earthquake-like tremors that were going through my body. 

Giving up for the moment on the control thing, I turned my ravenous mouth to the smooth spot behind her ear, but tried to at least keep my restless hands on her back.  Arwyn reacted by putting her head back against the wall, exposing her delicate throat to me, and quietly breathing my name. 

I nearly came undone.

Replying with a deep groan of surrender, I followed the muscle along the side of her neck down to the hollow of her throat with my lips and tongue, then continued lower to the first button of her blouse.

Tangling the fingers of both hands in my hair, she held my head against the tantalizing curves of her breasts for the span of a couple of gasping breaths.

… _oh … santo dio_ …

Barely saving the buttons from being bitten from the thin fabric, she then pulled me back up into another long and heated kiss.    

Lost in all of the sensations of our hot-blooded embrace, including the feeling of Arwyn’s hands caressing my broad back under my shirt— _Why am I still wearing that?_ —I could just make out a nagging voice in the back of my head babbling some drivel about restraint and limits. 

In a daze, I subconsciously answered the bothersome thing.   _Limits?  Yeah… Always push past ‘em._

It responded emphatically with, **_Not in this case, bucko!  Get a handle on things!_**

 _Stop?! **Now?!**_  

Reluctantly, the thought entered my hormone-flooded-and-blood-deprived brain that this might be hurtling over the edge rather soon, so I should corral the mustangs.  

There was also an unresolved issue to be settled. 

Arwyn had wanted to leave me. 

Pulling away suddenly at that memory, I had her scratching my back with her nails in swift response to my abrupt ending of our kiss.  Meeting her concerned and puzzled look, I held her by the shoulders, saying earnestly in a voice that sounded raw, “Tell me this means you’re not leaving me!  I can’t let you go.”

Inhaling a shaky breath, she squinted a bit, and said slowly, “Yeah…about that…Exactly why would you have a problem with taking me to visit my parents in Miyagi?”

“…M-Miyagi…?”

“Yeah, you know…my hometown?  You know I haven’t seen my parents in about a month and a half.”

“Miyagi.”  I could only stare blankly at her.

“I think I’ve established that.”  She gave me a curious look with a raised brow like she was wondering about my current state of mind.

Feeling my knees giving out in relief, I collapsed to sit cross-legged on the floor, taking Arwyn down with me where she settled in my lap with my arms around her waist.  I couldn’t stop the ear-to-ear grin that spread across my face as she put her arms around my neck, still considering me cautiously.

Laughing out loud, I hugged her tighter, kissing her neck as I elatedly repeated, “Miyagi!  Oh, thank God!”

Leaning back to see me better, Arwyn’s expression was one of confusion.  “Earlier when you were saying I couldn’t leave, did you _not_ _know_ it was just to visit my parents?”

Regaining my poise, I explained, “Funniest thing, that!  From what Lloyd told me, I thought you were sick of us and your life here, and you were quitting the team, going back to Ninjago City, leaving me.”  She regarded me with a little surprise.

Recalling my shirtless meeting with Sensei, a realization struck me, ticking me off.  “In fact, our distinguished mentor didn’t bother to tell me any differently when I spoke to him about it.  He let me threaten to disobey him.  He even made me wait for over another hour until sundown to see you, _knowing_ I was agonizing over you leaving me!” 

“That old _fart!”_ I huffed with a scowl at his holding back this critical piece of information.  Was this the kind of crap I could expect from him from now on?

A look of sympathy flitted across Arwyn’s face.  “Oh, Cole!  I’m so sorry!  And I got mad at you for telling me I couldn’t go!  I couldn’t for the life of me understand why you would do that to me!  I thought you hated me for breaking the rules and causing you trouble!  I guess we both just got our wires crossed the last couple of days, didn’t we?”    

“You could say that.  And you’d have to do a helluva lot worse for me to _ever_ hate you!”Things may have been so different in the last few weeks if I hadn’t insisted on being so self-sacrificing.  And if Sensei hadn’t been breathing down my neck.

Tenderly cradling my face in her hands, she briefly kissed me softly on the forehead, then a little longer on the lips.  “You are my heart, and I will _never_ _willingly_ leave you.”

Returning her kiss, I repeated the vow sincerely, “As you are mine, and I give you the same promise.”

With her lips a hairsbreadth from mine, her whisper was sultry, “I don’t want to say ‘goodnight’, so you definitely can’t leave me.”

“As if I’d want to.”  Forgetting everything else as she fit herself against me and persuaded me into another deep and lingering kiss, I figured I could handle whatever Sensei, or Ninjago, threw at me.  As long as I had Arwyn.

Santo dio=holy God

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you enjoyed it for a change!


	21. On Cloud Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole and Arwyn have FINALLY revealed their feelings for one another. Some residents of the "Bounty" react.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_… I’m dreaming, right?  ‘Cause this is what always happens in my dreams.  Cole confesses that he adores me, and we share the most romantic and passionate night together ever recorded, and we live happily ever after…_

_I think._

_I’ve… never really made it past the passionate-night part…_

_Please don’t let me be dreaming… But, if I am, I don’t want to wake up!_

Amazingly, this was _not_ a dream.  Although we had had a misunderstanding and tussled a bit on the floor of the bridge—which was actually quite arousing and fun—this magnificent champion-for-right in whose arms I found myself actually _had_ professed his love and bared his soul to me! 

However, I, like a moron, had found it hard to comprehend at first, considering how things had gone the last couple of days.  Instead of immediately affirming my own feelings for him, I had kinda lost it for a moment there and mindlessly questioned his, like I was giving him a chance to admit he’d made a mistake in judgment. 

Thank goodness Cole hadn’t reneged, and Jay had come along when he did!  Admittedly, it wasn’t the best way I could have answered Cole’s romantic pronouncement, since the blueberry was too concerned about practicing his improv act to notice that he very nearly sent his leader and me over the edge. 

Especially with the ‘dude’ thing.  I don’t think he realized how close he came to dying slowly and painfully because of that. 

Still, it gave me time to get my bearings again, and kinda paid my smurfy brother back for putting up with all the aggravation involved in keeping my secret.

No matter the method, I had still wound up in the strong and sexy arms of the extraordinary man I loved, sharing _unbelievably_ breathtaking kisses and wanting to share _much more_ with him, even though I knew that this was _way_ too soon. 

Although I felt like I had known and loved him for years already, I had to repeatedly remind myself that Cole and I had just met a little over a month ago and had only declared our feelings to one another in the past couple of _hours._  

Of course, that was nearly impossible to keep in mind when his full and persistent lips were on mine, and I was quickly welcoming his probing tongue.  It was a somewhat embarrassing metaphor for how easy it would be for him to claim _all_ of me.

While I was enjoying everything I could about Cole’s body—his tanginess on my tongue, his earthy scent, his muscular frame pressing into me—I did have a couple of attacks of conscience.  

My prudish superego and my wanton id were busy screeching at each other the whole time, while my tolerant, but restrained, ego was enjoying ‘The Arwyn and Cole Show’ with popcorn and a lecherous leer. 

Lotta help they were.

Being with him was a seriously dangerous thing, especially when Cole’s possessive hands were roving all over me, and he was encouraging me to do the same to his smooth, hard body which continually informed me he was ready for action. 

_Just a kiss… You don’t need to rush this… Don’t push it too far…_

Luckily, after making out a while in the bridge, I found that I wasn’t going to be responsible for restraining _both_ of us.  Cole eventually slowed things down a bit, curiously, mentioning something about mustangs, and suggested we go somewhere less secluded, like the game room. 

I gave him a cynical look and a quick, short laugh.  “Not a _chance.”_

Because of my previous self-critical mood and the sentence imposed on me by _Chichi,_ I had planned on isolating myself and sleeping on the quarterdeck, weather permitting, to watch for falling stars to wish upon and listen to the rustle of the wind through the forest. 

There was hardly a cloud in the sky, so I pulled the newly-aware possessor of my heart, and the baklava, out there onto the quilt with my pillow. 

Waning toward its new phase, the third-quarter moon was a thumbnail in the clear, diamond-studded sky, which made conditions great for stargazing.  And romance. 

Looking around, and passing a hand through his now-tousled hair, the smoking–hot ninja did not seem confident that that was really any better.  “This is still really _isolated_.  And dark.” 

Under the dim light through the bridge window, we settled down cross-legged facing one another on the quilt with the dessert.  Taking a shot at an innocent smile, I tried to reassure him.  “I might be less likely to make an assault on your very-uncommon virtue out here in the open than within the four walls of the bridge.”

Reaching out, he pushed a long lock of my hair out of my face and securely behind my ear.  Giving me an amused look, he replied in an unconvinced tone, _“I’m_ more concerned about making an assault on _your_ virtue…And how did you know I’ve never been with a woman?”

Swiping a fingertip through a small puddle of honey on the plate of baklava beside us, I touched it to his mouth, feeling a little frisson go through me as he parted his lips, touched his tongue to my finger, and gently sucked the sweet liquid from it. 

I felt I could barely get my words out.  “Oh, from the history you gave me, the very reverent way you treat me…and,” I grinned.  “You just told me.”

Chuckling, he, too, gathered a little honey with a finger and swept it very carefully over my lips.  Leaning in slowly with a look of raw and earthy masculinity that took my breath away, he proceeded to teasingly lap it off of my slightly-swollen lips with little flicks of his tongue. 

A wave of heat flooded my body, followed by tingling at my core.  I closed my eyes and heard him say huskily in between licks, “I’ve been waiting for you all my life…And I could be _quite_ disrespectful…if you’d like.”

“Promises, promises…,” I answered with a come-hither smile and heavily-lidded eyes.  Grasping the front of his T-shirt, I met no resistance from the grinning Spinjitzu master as I lay back onto the pillow and easily pulled him down to me, leaving the golden confection forgotten.

Maybe he was right about the quarterdeck under the minimal moonlight and the dazzling stars being no safer for us than the bridge…

With both of us wrapped in the blanket later that night, I snuggled as close as I could possibly get to Cole, although I was far from cold.  His arms around me were comforting and protective as he lay on his back,  gazing up at the starlit sky.

“You must be exhausted from the day’s training.”  His warm breath on my cheek sent pleasant little shivers down my back.

“Umm,” I agreed, finding it hard to keep my eyes open now that I wasn’t being stimulated.  “I probably could have been asleep _hours_ ago if someone hadn’t kept me up.”  

His light laugh reverberated in his chest against me.  “I don’t recall you resisting.”  He was quiet for a bit, then commented thoughtfully, “You said in the beginning that you had some trouble sleeping with the feelings of our elements.  Is that still a problem?”

Yawning, I shook my head a little.  “I’ve learned to condition myself to ignore the other three elements as best I can and concentrate on yours.  Most of the time, it just surrounds me with a secure feeling.  I pretend that it’s you holding me in your arms.”  He was silent.

Lying there in his embrace with my head on his chest near his shoulder and a leg thrown between his, I could feel and hear the slow, rhythmic drumbeat under me.  His fingertips idly massaged my scalp and stroked my hair as my breathing slowed.

Right before I drifted off, I heard him whisper in the darkness, “Tonight, my heart, neither of us will have to pretend.”  My dreams were heavenly.

It was dark-thirty when I woke to feel Cole shifting a bit under me, and heard Zane’s quiet voice saying, “…told us what transpired in the bridge.  Congratulations!  But, then, you did not come to your bed.”  His words assumed a hint of amused innuendo.  “So…I suppose last night was a very good one for you?”

The earth ninja’s arm tightened around my back, pulling me closer as he tensed and stretched, and I heard his low, sleepy rumble from his chest under my ear.  “What clued you in, Snowflake?  Your extra sense?”

Zane laughed quietly at his best friend’s sarcasm.  “More likely, perhaps, the woman in your arms.”  My warm body pillow responded with a little grunt of agreement, and I felt sculpted abs contract under my hand as he raised his head and kissed the top of mine.

Lifting one eyelid, I spied the man in white pajamas squatting in the dim, predawn light on the other side of Cole.  “Good morning, Arwyn,” he greeted me soothingly.  He never missed a thing.

“Mornin’, Zane.”  Dropping my lid again, I caught the edge of the quilt and pulled it up securely over my shoulder. 

Even though I was fully-clothed, the early-morning chill in the desert air, as well as Zane’s ever-present frost, had me almost shivering, although the ninja leader’s muscular body was putting out nearly as much heat as Kai normally did.

My ebony-haired lover responded to my wakefulness by encircling me with both arms and easing me up more onto his sturdy chest and abdomen, where I could better look him in the face.  He smiled drowsily at me from my pillow.  “Good morning, my dearest heart and sun.  I see you’ve risen for me.”

“G’morning, my life’s heart.”  Smiling back lazily, I kissed him on the chin, feeling his scratchy, new growth of beard.  Adjusting my pelvis on his, I added, “I see you’ve risen for me, too.” 

Zane laughed aloud as Cole widened his amazing greenish-grey eyes and quickly rolled us onto our sides, most likely blushing furiously as he held me close and nuzzled my neck.  I was simply delighting in the fact that one of my dreams had come true.  I had finally awakened in his arms. 

Giving us a moment together, the ice ninja stood and directed his view toward the top of the bridge, saying in a low voice, “I had endeavored to find and awaken you two before Sensei rose, but I failed.  Our mentor is perched like a watchful bird of prey atop the roof of the bridge, feigning meditation.”

_Hmm… Don’t have to think hard to figure out why he’s doing that **today** when he never normally goes up there._

With his forehead on my collarbone, Cole sighed, then glanced upward, saying coolly, “Ah, well.  What better way to start the day than by having the father of the woman you just spent the night with catch you under the covers?  I’d might as well get used to it.  If I have my way, it _won’t_ be the last time.”

Throwing back the folded blanket and exposing us to the nippy air, he released me against my will, rose from the quilt and stood tall next to Zane in his rumpled T-shirt and shorts. 

After bowing deeply, he called up to our teacher, “Good morning, Sensei!  How’s the weather up there?”  Zane snorted when Cole got no response.  He came back to me with a crooked grin, holding out his hands to help me up.

“How does he seem?” I asked a little nervously as I stood.  Dragging my fingers through my ‘bedhead’ hair and straightening my clothes, I surveyed my hunky boyfriend.  How did he still look so great, even disheveled? 

Shrugging with a ‘whatever’ attitude, he declared, “Eh.  I’m sure he’s royally pissed off, but I can deal with it.”  His quirky smile all at once turned naughty. 

Spontaneously grabbing me around the waist with his right hand, Cole tugged me swiftly to his torso, looking me straight in the eyes with a playful air and surprising me so that I gripped his shoulders to steady myself.  He then cast a roguish look over Zane’s head toward _Chichi_ on the rooftop before giving me his full attention again. 

With one arm around my waist and the other around my shoulders, he dipped me low to his left as though we’d been dancing, and claimed my mouth with a lengthy and sizzling ‘good-morning’ kiss which left me clutching his shoulders, weak in the knees, and craving more.  

After several moments, under what I’m sure was _Chichi’s_ critical scrutiny, the former performing-arts student came up for air.  While still holding me in the dip, he ducked his head lower to drop a small, warm kiss on my cleavage, saying with certain assurance, “Though I’m positive _this’ll_ get me called to the mat _well_ before lunchtime.” 

Breathlessly viewing Zane’s astounded countenance and raised eyebrow from upside-down, I could tell that _he_ totally agreed.

And he was right. 

The three of us had left our sensei to his before-sunrise ‘meditation’ and had run to our respective quarters to change into our uniforms before breakfast.  Meeting up in the hallway a few minutes later, Cole planted a kiss on my cheek, and I happily took his proffered hand as he escorted me the rest of the way down the hall to the dining room with Zane trailing behind us. 

When I saw Sensei in his spot at the head of the table, my smile waned, and I self-consciously relaxed my hold on Cole’s hand, expecting him to release mine to avoid incurring a negative response. 

Instead of dropping it, he tucked my hand into the crook of his elbow and covered it with his opposite hand.  Cole answered my glance of mild surprise with a grin that set my mind at ease as we paraded into the dining room like we were going to a ball. 

_OMG, he is so sweet and romantic!  But is he **trying** to get a rise out of Sensei?_

Despite our entrance, I had hoped to fly in under the radar and not draw attention to our new status in front of our possibly-moody mentor, especially after Cole’s amorous display on the quarterdeck, but Lloyd didn’t get that memo.

Jumping up from his place at the table, he ran to us in high spirits, hugging me around the waist as Cole watched the elated boy with satisfaction.  “Arwyn!  I’m so glad you’re staying, and I’m so glad Cole finally asked you to be his girlfriend!” 

Letting go of me as I laughed nervously and tried not to make eye contact with _Chichi,_ he turned expectantly to Cole.  “Can I go to Miyagi, too?  I’ve never been there, and I never get to go anywhere!  And I won’t be any trouble!  _Please?”_   He punctuated that with a beseeching tilt of his blonde head.

Cole’s gorgeous smile turned into a little, thinly-veiled grimace as he looked down on Lloyd.  “Um, we haven’t exactly finalized plans for that, yet.”  Steering me around the head of the table and behind Sensei to my seat, he added,  “We’ll see…,” then strolled to his own seat next to Lloyd, never once looking at our teacher.

Wu simply continued to help himself to Kai’s waffles, smearing them with peanut butter while surreptitiously cutting his eyes toward Cole briefly and nodding as we bowed to him in greeting before sitting.

Things stayed low-key for the rest of the meal.  The only other acknowledgements to our new relationship came from Nya giving my hand a squeeze with a giddy giggle, and Cole sending back a thumbs-up to one Kai flashed him.

We thought we had misjudged our sensei when he got up from the table after his meal, taking his leave with a bow and a wish for a good day and then walking toward the exit.  That is, until he stopped in the doorway and called back over his shoulder, “I should like for you to meet me in my quarters after morning training just before lunch, Cole, to discuss…the trip to Miyagi.” 

_Oh, crap_ …

The aforementioned ninja looked directly at me, without turning toward his teacher, working hard to hold back a laugh.  “Of _course_ , Sensei.”

****Cole’s POV**

“It’s about time you man-upped and told her!”  Kai smacked me hard on my bare back as I pulled my sleeveless running shirt over my head in the bunkroom.  “Nice fingernail marks there.” 

I jerked the shirt down to my waist quickly and shot him a hard glare for the stinging blow, feeling my face heat up at the same time. 

He had just finished cleaning up his breakfast mess in the kitchen and joined Zane, Jay, and me as we changed our clothes to go for our morning run.  “I don’t know why you didn’t say something sooner after wigging out when I kissed her.  I _thought_ your reaction about that was a little much just because she was a new teammate.” 

Leaning against the armoire, he crossed his arms over his chest as he considered me.  “I even tried goading you into making a move every now and then by crowding her space.”

“Yeah, it was funny to see that!”  Jay slapped his knee, laughing as he did warm-up stretches.  “I was watching you for clues to how you felt about Arwyn.  It was like watching a wildlife documentary on that animal channel!” 

Taking on the accent of a narrator, he pretended he was holding a microphone, and gestured first to me, then to Kai.  “And here we have the dominant, primal male possessively marking his territory and assuming a threatening stance as the upstart challenger circles the female, attempting to gain her acceptance in order to continue his line of DNA…”

“Seriously, Jay?”  My brows knit.  I wasn’t possessive…Well, maybe I was doing the protective, alpha-male thing a _little_.   

Zane strapped his shurikens to his arms as Arwyn had done yesterday.  “I thought something might be going on.  Your sex pheromone levels have stayed elevated since you met Arwyn, especially when you are around her.”  He squinted one eye at me.  “They are often off the chart.  Like this morning.”

“Good _God_ , Zane!”  I slapped my palm against my forehead.  “Is there a switch to turn that _off_ once in a while?!”

He chuckled as he sat on his bunk.  “If there is, I am _not_ telling you.”

Kai continued with his original line of thought, adjusting his comlink on his wrist as he said, “But I wasn’t really sure until the Serpentine attack.  You fought too much like I do, off-the-cuff, more aggressive than usual, merciless.  From the way you were so fiercely protective, trying to kill every Serpentine single-handedly, I figured then it wasn’t about her being the Green Ninja anymore.  I just hate that you’re always gonna have Sensei on your back now.  _But_ ,” he finished gleefully, “Better you than me!”

Bending over to tie my trail-running shoes, with one eye on the fire ninja in case he hit me again, I tried to be flip about the subject.  “It won’t be anything new.  He’s actually been on my back since the day after I spent the night at her place.”

“Well, I hope you know it’s only going to get worse,” he continued, making no effort to be optimistic.  “Especially after you _slept_ with her last night!  Hoo, boy, you really have _big_ _cojones_ to do that!”  I thought I detected a hint of admiration in his voice. 

“I did _not_ **_sleep_** with Arwyn!” I denied forcefully, following quietly under my breath with, “Although it came damn close a couple times…”  Louder, I added, “We just _slept_ on the deck.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, chief.  I’m sure that doesn’t make a difference to her _**fa-ther**_.”  Kai had a skeptical expression.  “And I caught that footnote, by the way.”

“That’s why you get to go have ‘The Talk’ with Daddy in his quarters!” Jay cheerfully crowed.  “And then you get to meet her _other_ daddy in a few days!  How lucky can a guy get?!’

“It’ll be no big deal.  I can handle it,” I hoped as I strapped a tanto to my calf.  “And I’m glad I’ve been such a great source of entertainment for the bunch of you lately.”

Kai viewed me suspiciously.  “You’re not going to be subjecting me to your make-out sessions in between sparring matches and lessons, are you?”

Acting offended, I strode for the door to the hallway.  “Of _course_ there’ll be none of that during training!  I don’t care to make out with Arwyn in front of you any more than you care to see it!” 

Opening the wooden bunkroom door with a grin, I threw back over my shoulder, “However, the game room in between video games _is_ neutral territory…”

Hopping up the steps to the main deck to meet Arwyn a moment later, I had to ask myself again what everyone else was asking— _Why the hell did I wait so long?!_

I swear I felt like my heart would burst from sheer happiness and pride when I looked at her and remembered the night we’d just shared and the feeling I got when I realized she was actually mine now. 

I had lain awake last night long after she’d fallen asleep thinking about how marvelous the world was now that I knew that she loved me, and I had finally gotten my ‘secret’ off of my chest.  If it weren’t for the damned Garmadon-and-Serpentine thing, everything might be perfect. 

Out of habit, I cast a glance around for signs of Sensei Wu as I walked briskly to where Arwyn stood at the starboard gunwale, stretching her hamstrings as she waited for the Masters to accompany her on an early-morning run through the forest.

She straightened with her back to me as I approached her from behind, putting her head back on my shoulder when I encircled her waist with my arms.  Neither of us said anything or made a move for a moment until she turned her face up to mine. 

I took that as an invitation and was in the middle of enjoying a slow and sensual kiss with her when I heard Kai’s annoying whine behind us.  “Oh, great, here they go already!  I thought you said we weren’t gonna have to be seeing any of this?”

Pulling back a touch, I mumbled against her lips, “Hold me back, ‘cause I may have to kill him soon.”

Arwyn snorted with amusement.  “I just may hold him down for you.” 

When she began to detach herself from me, I pulled her back by the hand.  “Hey, one thing before we take off…”  She waited patiently with a thoughtful expression.

“Um…this evening I’d like to take you on a picnic supper…to that spot in the woods that you like so much.”  I don’t know why I felt so nervous saying that.  “I mean, _if_ you’d like to go with me.”

Stepping up close to me until our chests were brushing, she said coyly, “Cole, baby, after what we almost did last night, would you _really_ think I wouldn’t want to go somewhere, _anywhere_ , with you?” 

Her hand eased itself teasingly under the hem of my shirt, and her fingertips traced a feather-light circle around my navel.  In a soft and breathy voice, she added, “Yes, I would absolutely _love_ to be alone in the woods with you.”  … _Uh… I may have to postpone my run._

Smiling as she turned away and followed Jay over the gunwale to the anchor chain, it occurred to me that I had just asked Arwyn out on our first date.  Then something else hit me.  I hadn’t had a moment to plan a menu!

“Uh, Zane?”  I grabbed the ice ninja’s arm as he neared me to climb over the side.  “I’m gonna need a little assistance…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love to hear from readers! Leave some kinda footprint!


	22. The Facts of Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sensei gives Cole the talk about the birds and the bees. Cole and Arwyn enjoy their first date.

****Cole’s POV**

Our morning training had been hard and intense, but I made things harder on myself since my mind kept rewinding to last night and early this morning every time I looked at Arwyn.  Focusing on the tasks at hand hadn’t been easy until she had pulled up a little short on a roundhouse kick to keep from taking my head off, just clipping my forehead and knocking the dreamy look off of my face, instead. 

I had gotten it all together after that and had no other near-disastrous moments. 

The morning had turned out to be a hot one, and I was wiping my brow on my black jacket sleeves and combing my sweat-dampened hair with my fingers before taking a deep breath and tapping lightly on Sensei’s wooden door. 

We both knew why he had asked me to meet him, and it wasn’t all about the upcoming trip to Miyagi.  I was also pretty sure that he had told me at breakfast to come just before lunch, instead of sooner, because he had wanted me to have plenty of time to consider my recent behavior with Arwyn before I got here, just to try to make me sweat. 

Well, it had worked.  I  had thought a lot about it all morning, when I wasn’t thinking about my night with Arwyn, giving me another reason that it had been tough to focus on training.  I wasn’t afraid of the older man, but I did hold him in the highest regard, sometimes awe.

I didn’t want to piss him off or disappoint him in any way, but I _had_ grasped the fact that lustily covering his daughter in hot kisses right in front of him was likely to do both. 

Amazingly, my soul’s mate, the love of my life, was now by my side, admitting that I meant as much to her as she did to me.  We could now show our affection for one another like any other loving couple. 

Still, I knew I had better tone it down a bit in front of Sensei instead of rubbing his nose in it before he was rubbing _my_ nose in something. 

I was thinking my recent activities could possibly get my tail kicked.  There were very few people in all of Ninjago who could even come _close_ to doing that to me, but I had no doubt the younger son of the First Spinjitzu Master would do it in an epic way.

When I heard his call for me to enter his chambers, I opened the door and stepped inside, the pungent and invigorating scent of cedar incense wafting over me right away.  Bowing respectfully to him, I had a newfound humility to offset my renewed confidence and optimistic outlook on life.  “Sensei, you asked me to meet you…”

Removing the tea ball infuser from the blue pot on the counter, he turned to me, nodding his bald pate.  “Indeed, Cole.  Thank you for coming.  I believe we need to discuss plans for Arwyn’s visit to her…parents.” 

He had paused before saying the last word, and I imagined that it was still difficult for him to accept that he had ever given her up to be raised by someone else.  He turned his attention back to his tea accessories.  “I _assume_ you two spoke last night of plans to go to Miyagi?”

I knew he knew he was putting me on the spot.  “Of course,” I lied.  Aside from exploring our new relationship in a very physical way—a lot—she and I hadn’t actually said much about anything last night other than how much we loved each other.  And although I had spent most of the morning mulling over this meeting with Sensei, I hadn’t really yet come up with any concrete plans, expecting that I would get a moment with Arwyn to hash it out.  I hadn’t gotten a moment.

“And they would be…”  He studied me benevolently as he carried his tea tray to the tatami mat.  I was gonna have to come up with something on the fly and hope she accepted the plans without a problem later.

Going down into seiza as my mentor did the same while handing me a steaming cup of an amber, mango-scented liquid, I brushed my damp hair off of my brow again, and made a plausible start, “Well, she hasn’t had time to call them yet, but if her parents can accommodate us, we’ll leave tomorrow morning or the next, whichever is better for them.”

“Alone?”  He was putting me to the test.  He knew very well I was making all this up as I went.

“No, Zane will accompany us, as well as Lloyd, I suppose.”  _Sorry, Zane.  I hope you don’t mind._   “Jay and Kai will stay here with the Fang Blades and Nya, and I’m guessing you’ll want the _Bounty_ to stay in the wide, open area to enable any approaching vehicles to be quickly spotted and identified on radar.”  I wasn’t doing so badly.  “Will you be coming with us?”

Taking a swig from his cup, he looked away from me for a moment before answering.  “As much as I wish to reunite with the couple to whom I entrusted my baby daughter, I am not certain that I am ready for that, and I also think I should stay with the damnable Blades since you will be gone for a few days.”  He raised a brow in question.  “Correct?”

Somehow I maintained a straight face, since I’d never heard Sensei utter anything close to a profanity.  “Uh, yeah.  Miyagi’s about two-and-a-half hours away, and we’ll probably spend a night or two there before leaving.” 

My expression turned serious as I looked him in the eye and added, “I’d also like to take her to Castor to meet my father.  It’s just over an hour’s travel from Miyagi and two hours from here.  We wouldn’t stay the night, just go for a couple of hours, and then head home.”

My teacher’s steady gaze narrowed on mine.  “You wish her to meet your father?”  I knew he was then comprehending just how serious I really was about Arwyn. 

“Yes, Sensei,” I answered his spoken and unspoken questions.  “He has issues with me committing to anyone because of something with my mother.  I want him to know how wonderful Arwyn is and how happy I am.  I’m hoping he can be at peace about it.”  _But he’ll probably just do a lot of yelling._

“Um, hmm.”  He nodded slowly while he refilled his teacup.  “It is undeniably evident to me that you are extremely happy.  Your aura is the brightest I have ever seen it, even more so than when you reached your true potential.”

 _An aura?_   “I have an aura?”  I blinked at his bewildering statement.  “What does it look like?”

“For all of the elemental masters, it is usually their corresponding color.  Yours, however, although it had recently gotten quite grey, is back to its original rich purple.”

A broad smile creased my face.  “Purple.  Arwyn’s favorite color…I suppose hers is green?”

He dipped his bare head in confirmation.  “Yes, and as of today, it is also fringed in gold.  Which indicates to me that she shares your deep feelings of love and devotion.” 

Joy welled up in me, making me smile even more, but his next remark dampened things some.

“Which brings me to the _other_ reason I wished to speak to you this morning.” 

 _Ah, damn.  Here it comes…_ I bowed my head over my fragrant tea and squeezed my eyes closed, my black bangs hiding my aversion for his upcoming lecture. 

It didn’t matter if I wanted to hear it or not, getting straight to the point was a strong suit of Sensei’s.  “It is understandable that you and she would be euphoric over your acknowledgement of your feelings for one another and wish to express these emotions, publically and,” he paused, making me fidget, “…privately.” 

_Why, oh, why can’t he keep this short and sweet?  Something like, ‘keep it in your pants’ or ‘don’t pull your pistol from its holster’?_

He placed his cup on the mat next to him, and I could feel his eyes boring into the top of my head.  “But, speaking from experience, I believe I need to stress that restraint is essential.”

Sighing inwardly, I thought, _Ah, well, may as well take this like a man,_ and raised my head to meet his stern eye.

“Unlike with most couples, at this point, one self-gratifying moment for you may mean ruin for Ninjago.  You have a responsibility to ensure that the prophesy regarding Arwyn overcoming the dark evil is brought to fruition.”  Wu’s brown eyes never blinked as he spoke. 

“Of course, Sensei, but—.”  He raised his hand to quiet me and continued.

“Although I _am_ relating some of this as her _father_ ,” he glared a little at me there, “another reason is that I have had a vision which I believe I should share with you.” 

 _Great._   Although I wasn’t looking forward to what he had to impart, since his visions didn’t always portend optimistic outlooks,  I gave Sensei my full attention.

He laid it on me.  “This first occurred about four months ago.  Then a week ago I was revisited by a better-defined version of the same.  A vision of a male child to be born from the union of the Green Ninja and an elemental Spinjitzu master whose powers will ultimately surpass those of his mother.”

 _Whhaaaa_ …I stared at him in shock while I think I felt my heart skip a couple of beats.  “Holy…crap…a _baby?!”_ His mustache twitched at my language.  A slow smile began to stretch across my face.    _Arwyn and I will have_ … “A _baby!”_  

Sensei was sipping his tea when a small amount of alarm and doubt highlighted a phrase he had spoken.  “ _’ **An** elemental Spinjitzu master’? _  It **_is_** the Master of _Earth_ , right?!”

My honorable mentor rolled his eyes and waved a hand up and down in my direction.  “Don’t get your giblets twisted.  The child in my vision resembled you so strongly there is no question of his paternity.”

I sighed with relief.  My mind was racing over thoughts of a bright future for us, but before it got underway with creating plans for setting up a nursery in the bunkroom, I stopped it, looking quickly at my future son’s future grandfather.  “Wait.  When?”

With a raised brow and a tilt of his head, he replied slowly, “ _That_ is what causes me concern.   _And_ it is dependent on _your_ behavior.”

_In other words, I’ll be setting limits I **can’t** push past, and taking **lots** of cold showers until our mission is accomplished.  Indefinitely.  **Damn** Garmadon for screwing with our lives!_

Letting things sink in a bit for me, he was quiet for a moment before he said, “As the leader of the elemental masters, you have always borne a large amount of responsibility on your shoulders.  By entering into this relationship with Arwyn, you have had even more thrust upon you.”

Sitting up straighter, I replied resolutely, “I welcome it, Sensei.”

“Then we understand each other?”

“Yes, Sensei.  Perfectly.”

* * *

 

The picnic basket, a folded blanket, and the Scythe of Quakes rested on the wooden deck at my feet as I leaned on my elbows on the starboard gunwale railing.  While I waited for Arwyn to meet me, I was thinking about the past day and watching the tops of the pines on the edge of the forest sway back and forth in the breeze like paintbrushes being pushed across a blue canvas, crowned by the soon-to-set sun. 

My meeting with Sensei had been a real earth-shaking eye-opener, just as he had intended, and had given me something else to distract me during our afternoon training. 

After receiving a nice, new bruise on my forearm from barely stopping Jay’s nunchuks from cracking my jaw, I had called an end to the day’s training so I could get with Zane and put together a meal for my date with Arwyn. 

He had helped me make a few choices for the menu, and then assisted as sous-chef while I got everything ready.  It went off without a hitch, after which I had cleaned up and dressed casually in a slim-fitting, short-sleeved shirt of dark-apricot rayon that buttoned down the front, along with khaki shorts and river sandals.

Without understanding why, I was getting really antsy about taking Arwyn out alone.  I wasn’t worried about anything that might accost us in the woods, but I _was_ anxious about the date itself.  I understood my butterflies a little more when I heard her call to me from the portal to the stairwell, and turned to greet her.

Wearing her hair down, the long curls rested on the shoulders of her white top, which was formfitting, low-cut, and short-sleeved, like something I’d seen ballet dancers wear.  It fit like a glove, outlining her trim waist and small, but wonderful, breasts.  

She was also wearing a full, ankle-length skirt of a thin, silky, lavender material which enabled me to see the silhouette of her legs with any light behind her.  It was a wrap-around with a jagged hem, and it fluttered with the breeze, revealing a slender, muscular leg to about mid-thigh as she approached me silently on bare feet, her sandals in one hand. 

I soon noticed that my throat felt so tight I could barely take a breath.  “Y-You wore…ah… a _skirt?”_   My shorts were feeling a little constrictive, too.

She was genuinely gorgeous as she smiled back at me.  “Well, it’s a picnic, and it’s almost summer, and I never get to wear it.”  She did a quick turn on her toes, the garment flowing like gossamer around her legs.  Her happy gaze at me changed to a worried one.  “Do you not like it?”

_Oh, God, I’m gonna be in trouble in more ways than one._

Nodding enthusiastically, I briskly reassured her. _“_ Oh, yeah!  I-I like it alright!  You look beautiful!” I choked out.  “B-but it’s too easy.”

She gave me a puzzled look as she kissed me lightly on the corner of my mouth.  “‘Too easy’?  For what?”

Picking up the basket by its handle, I strategically placed it in front of my zipper.  “…Never mind…”

Laughing with a roll of her eyes, Arwyn said, “That’s _not_ why I wore it!”  Pushing the basket aside, she playfully put her arms around my neck, pressing her luscious body against mine, and reconsidered, “But that’s _not_ a bad idea…”

“Ohh… _yes_ , it is!”  Even as I tried to contradict her last remark with a laugh, I found my free arm sneaking itself around her waist and holding her securely to me.  Ducking my head, I engaged her in a brief, but thorough kiss that had her holding me by the hair when I tried to come back up, then pulling me back down for another, longer one.  _Oh, how I love this woman…_

When she let loose of me, and I brought my dazed gaze up again, there was Sensei, walking by with Lloyd at the stern, making me wince a tad.  _Sorry, Sensei, but you can’t expect me to **never** touch her._  

Guiding Arwyn toward the anchor chain, I said, “Uh, let’s go before we lose too much daylight.”  _And before Wu sends a chaperon with us._   Waving to Jay in the bridge, I got the signal that the radar was clear, and we headed down, ladies first, of course, so I didn’t have the temptation to look up her skirt…‘Cause I would have.

****Arwyn’s POV**

Hand in hand, Cole and I made the nearly ten-minute walk to the forest glade without tarrying for ‘breaks’.  I would have liked to, but we only had about two hours before the sun set, and its golden beams were already slashing through the closely-growing timbers at a sharp angle. 

As we ambled along, enjoying the scenery and each other’s company, he told me about his adventures in Ninjago City the day before with Zane and Kai, including how Kai had met, and fallen for, Renata.

Although I had not yet met my Italian-speaking friend in person, I felt like I already knew tons about her from the non-stop crowing my blazing-hot brother had been doing all day during training.  It made me happy to listen to him, even when it got a little repetitious.

When I questioned Cole about his meeting with Sensei, he related to me the plans he had thrown together to visit my parents.

“I hope it’s alright with you that I arranged all that without consulting you first,” he offered a little remorsefully.  “Sensei had me in a corner, and I didn’t want him to know we’d never talked about it…or anything else.”

Squeezing his hand and grinning up at him, I let him off the hook.  “It doesn’t matter at all to me.  Planning is your forte, anyway.”  Knowing how our cooler brother usually was about wanting to see Sofiya nearly every day, I asked, “Is Zane okay with coming with us?”

Cole grinned with a little regret.  “Yeah.  He was a little upset that he’ll have to be away from her for a few days, but he understands what this means to us, and he’s a great friend, so he’s alright with it.”

“I called my parents at lunch time, and let them know I’d finally be able to get a break to visit, and that I’d be bringing at least one friend, so they’re happy and looking forward to whenever and whomever.”  I was quiet as we walked a few yards down the path before adding with a twinge of guilt, “They still don’t know.”

“Arwyn…,” he began with a chiding tone.

“I know, I know!”  Answering with a little impatience, I pointed accusingly at him, “But _you_ did the same with _your_ father, and for a _lot_ longer, so no lectures, mister.”  

He sighed.  “Touche`…And speaking of my father…”  He pressed my hand tightly, tension evident on his features.  “I want to take you to meet him after we leave Miyagi.  He already knows about you as a teammate…I want him to know about _us_.”

I met his gaze with a pang of uncertainty in my abdomen and a swelling of elation in my chest.  I knew how hard this was for him, and if he was willing to do it, I knew what I meant to him.  I was going to do everything I could to win over the father of this amazing man I adored.  “I would love to meet him.”

Smiling with relief as the tension disappeared from his face, Cole pulled me in closer and kissed me on the forehead as we arrived at the meadow in the forest.  Observed keenly through new eyes in love, it was more beautiful than I remembered, although I had ogled it when we had passed it on our run this morning. 

The flowers, ferns, and grasses reflected the bright shafts of the late-afternoon sunlight as I unfurled the blanket and let it settle in a flat, clear area next to a large, thick patch of purple violets.  I knelt on one corner of the coverlet, watching as Cole carefully set the picnic basket on the edge of the fabric and placed his scythe in the grass.  “What else did you and _Chichi_ talk about?”

I caught his quick, sidelong glance at me.  “I’ll tell you in a little while, but first things first,” he responded as he knelt and lifted the lid of the basket.

 _Surely, he’s not_ …Looking at him like he was crazy for just a second, I impulsively pushed him away from the basket and tackled him to the blanket, crying, “Oh, no, you don’t!  We’re a half mile from everybody, and you’re worried about filling your _belly?!”_

Kneeling by his side, I had him pinned on his back with my hands on his shoulders, about to straddle his waist, when I remembered we weren’t sparring, and that, in a skirt, it would be quite unladylike. 

He had grabbed me on each side of my ribcage and was holding me away from him as he laughingly protested, “No, no, no!  I wasn’t after the food!  There’s something _else_ in there!”

Raising a brow, I glanced distrustfully at the wicker basket.  “There’s nothing alive in that thing, is there?”

While I was sidetracked, the scheming ninja used it to his advantage when he pushed himself up quickly and rolled me lightly onto my back.  “Nothing that bites,” he said with a sly grin before he lowered his face to the side of my neck, nibbling the tender skin with his teeth and growling softly in jest.

My laugh transformed to a soft moan as his arms encircled me, and I pulled him further down to meet me. 

After a few minutes of ‘nonverbal communication’, Cole sat up suddenly with a flushed countenance, starting in a raspy voice, “Like in my dream…”  Pausing with a ragged sigh, he tried again, “’Scuze me.  Much as I _hate_ to say this, we need to save this for later and get to other things for a minute.”

 _Darn it._   “Right,” I concurred reluctantly, sitting up and running my hands through my hair to fluff and detangle.  “Whatcha got?”

As he rummaged through the basket, Cole happily explained, “I did some shopping while I was in Ninjago City yesterday, and got you a little something.”

“Oh, baby, I don’t have anything for _you!”_ I whined as he proudly handed me a shallow, white box with a lid.

“Shh.  Don’t do that.  Just check it out,” he instructed as I took it from him and removed the lid, pulling out two graphic novels and a set of colored and graphite sketch pencils.

Examining my gifts, I exclaimed with delight, “’ElvishQuest’!  You found the issue I couldn’t get last month, and the newest one, too!  You even knew my pencils were nubs!”  I rose up on my knees to thank him with a kiss on the cheek.  “You were so sweet to think about me!  Thank you!”

Drawing away from me a little while putting one arm around my waist, he held up a small, black-velvet jewelry box between us.  “This came with them.”  My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes became saucer-like, causing Cole to shake his head and quickly inform me, “It’s not a ring, so don’t be scared!”

I wasn’t disappointed, but the thought instantly occurred to me that I also wasn’t frightened by that prospect _at all_.  I reached for the black container, but he was already flipping it open it with his thumb, revealing a pair of exquisite ruby-and-amethyst earrings that sparkled in the sun’s light. 

My hands flew up to cover my open mouth, and tears were suddenly welling in my eyes, spilling over onto my cheeks unexpectedly as I stared at the precious gems.  I don’t think that’s what Cole anticipated. 

“Ohmigod!  Don’t cry!  I’m sorry!  I thought you’d like them!”  His other arm went around me as he hurriedly snapped the box closed and pulled me against his chest, rubbing my back with his empty hand.  “They’re our birthstones, they made me think of us!”

I buried my face in his shoulder for a moment, wetting his shirt with my tears, listening to his dismayed words of further apology before I could take a breath and look up at him again.

“N-no, no, don’t apologize!”  I wiped the tears from my cheeks with both hands.  “I love them!  They’re beautiful!  I’ve never been given anything so beautiful!  You’re so wonderful, and I was thinking just yesterday that you may have hated me!  And I still can’t believe it, but you l-love me!  I can’t believe that I have you, and you’re so w-wonderful!”  I was rambling and couldn’t stop myself, but Cole could.

His lips silenced mine with a gentle kiss that comforted me, conveying that, yes, he did love me tremendously, whether I believed it or not.  Slowly ending the kiss after a few moments, he still held me in his embrace as he whispered against my cheek, “Does this mean you’ll wear them?”

“Every minute that I can,” I whispered back, resting my head on his damp shoulder again, and enjoying the same feeling of safety and contentment I had had the first time I had asked to be held by him. 

He held the little box open where I could easily see the earrings again, saying, “When I first saw the amethysts in the antique-jewelry shop, I just liked them because they were your favorite color.  I know that sounds kinda cheesy.  But then I discovered that was your birthstone, and it’s surrounded by mine.  It’s like saying that I love you, and I want to always protect you and be with you.” 

He broke off a second when I reached for the earrings.  “Just like I _hope_ you’ll always want to be with me.”

“Forever and always, my heart,” came my unhesitating response.  There were no words to describe how much I loved this man.  But I was going to try.

After adorning my earlobes with the gemstone studs, I took the earth ninja’s hands in mine and earnestly held his gaze.  “I’ve been thinking, and I have some things I want to say about a couple of comments you made last night.  I’m not really very good at this, but just sit and listen, okay?”  He nodded intently, and clasped my hands firmly, like he was willing me fortitude.

“First of all, I need to repeat that _I will never willingly leave you._   Wherever your home is, there my home will be, whether it’s on the _Bounty_ or elsewhere.”  Cole closed his greenish-grey eyes and inhaled sharply.  I hoped he was understanding that I was vowing to never replicate his mother’s mistakes.  Ever.  

“Whatever road you choose to follow, I will be there with you.  I won’t walk ahead, because _you_ are the leader.”  He had opened his eyes again, and a corner of his mouth was curving up in the beginnings of a faint grin.  “But, I don’t want to follow _behind_ you, either,” I stressed.  “I want to walk beside you for all time.” 

“Another thing—you said that you have nothing to offer me.  That is so untrue.  You are everything to me.  Material possessions, status, wealth—I could have those things with another man, but they’re not what I need or want.  _You_ are the only one I could ever want, the only one I’ll ever need.” 

Grinning more, he muttered, “Good thing, ‘cause what you see is about all I’ve got.”

I shoved his shoulder with a half-serious frown.  “I _said_ ‘sit and listen’!”  Assuming a somber expression with difficulty, he pressed his lips into a straight line and sat up straighter as I tried to get back to my mental notes.

“And in conclusion,…since your attention span is waning rapidly…”  He cocked an eyebrow at me.  “…You make me feel beautiful and powerful.  It’s like you try to make me think I’m the most important person in the world, when, in actuality, you are.” 

Smiling gently, Cole brought my hands to his lips and kissed my fingers.  “I don’t want you to ever believe less of yourself,” I finished.  “And I love you.”

Still holding me by one hand, my herculean Adonis pulled me toward him, meeting me halfway.  Our kiss was slow and sweet, and shorter than I would have liked, since he pulled away after a little while, looking down to see that I had stealthily undone the first four buttons of his shirt while he was preoccupied. 

With my fingers spread out on his chest over the light scattering of soft, straight hair that led temptingly downward, I caught his wry smile and arched eyebrow when he lifted his head.  Grinning coyly, I laughed a little, “Heh…sorry, but I’ve been wanting to do this since I met you on the deck.  You’re lucky I didn’t jerk it open and pop the buttons off.”

Taking me by the wrists, and leaving the shirt unbuttoned, he replied, “Yeah, well, I’ve been wanting to do several things to you, too, but I think that leads me to sharing with you the rest of my talk with _Chi_ —uh, Sensei.”  He sat down on the blanket cross-legged and tugged me down across from him, holding my hands in his.

Not mincing words, he began, “To be blunt, I got the don’t-get-my-daughter-knocked-up-before-she-fulfills-her-destiny-or-I-will–kill-you talk.”  I grimaced at the thought of _that_ awkward meeting, and the thought that he might have another one coming.

He seemed a little uncomfortable.  “And honestly, much as it pains me, it has made me do some thinking.”  _Uh, oh_ … “As much as I love you, as much as I _want_ to, we’re not ready for what we almost did last night.” 

Catching my dubious look, he held up a hand.  “Physically, yes!  Emotionally, yes!  With our present reality…no.”  He was suddenly serious and making a lot of sense.  It almost had me feeling shame for trying to undress him.  Almost.  

Clutching my hands securely, his demeanor was solemn.  “You have Garmadon to defeat, and I have a responsibility to help you achieve that in every way I possibly can.  If we do something to share our love and satisfy ourselves, and we create life, that would be a wonderful and _awesome_ thing, but the timing might be _incredibly_ bad.”

_What is he getting at?_

“Sensei told me about a vision he’d had…of his future grandchild.”  Delight shone in his eyes.  My mouth dropped open.  “A boy who will be even more powerful than _you’re_ supposed to be.  His father will be an elemental master.  Sensei swears the child looked just like me…”  Cole glanced sideways with a fretful frown, murmuring, “I hope he wasn’t just saying that…”

It took me a moment to catch my breath and find my voice.  When I did, I leaned forward and looked him directly in the eyes, saying joyfully, “Are you serious?  A _baby_?  We’re going to have a _baby?!”_   When he nodded with a little grin, I added indignantly, “And who the heck _else_ would you think would be the father?!” 

Throwing my arms around his neck, I pushed him backward onto the blanket, going down with him, lying on his abdomen with one leg between his.  “We’re going to have a son!”

With his arms around my waist, he laughed.  “One day!  But the reason I just told you all of this was to explain why we can’t do anything that’ll make him come too soon!”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do _this_ , does it?”  Placing both hands into his open shirt, I slid them on bare skin on either side of his torso and up under his shoulder blades, bowing my head to nuzzle his chest and lightly bite over his right pectoral.

Groaning lightly, he pressed me snugly to him.  “Well, maybe we _can_ do _some_ of that…”  He tensed suddenly under me.  “What the **_hell_** _?!”_

Knowing I hadn’t bitten him hard, I jerked my head up to see that he was staring over my shoulder into the sky.  Following his line of sight, I caught the sudden motion of Merlin as he was coming out of a sweeping glide at the end of the glade, heading back in our direction.

“Unbelievable!”  Irritated, Cole shot the bird the bird as I rolled to his side.  “Kai and Zane are supposed to be going out tonight!  Why are they screwing with us?”

When I fired a small snowball toward the falcon that passed just to the side of its head when it soared over us, Cole criticized, “Damn!  You missed it!  You’ve got the aim of a cross-eyed armadillo!”

In defense, I snapped, “That was a _warning!_   Do you _really_ want me to knock Merlin out of the sky?  I don’t think Zane would be very easy-going about _that_.”

As the mechanical bird swooped in a semi-circle at the other end of the clearing, Cole reached for the comlink on his wrist, casting me a scowling look.  “Why do you call it ‘Merlin’?” 

I shrugged.  “He needed a name, and he kinda reminds me of the merlin hawk.”

Turning his attention to the comlink, he punched in the bridge’s number and waited for the open-connection light before yelling, “Call off the bird, Zane!  And, all of you, quit spying on us!  There’s nothing to see here!”

He was answered by Kai’s cackling.  “You’re right, Cole!  There’s still too much clothing in the way!  And I think you’re supposed to undress the girl before _you_ do!”  This was followed by peals of laughter from his accomplices in the bridge.

Zane’s voice piped up next, “You have been off the ship for over an hour, and you have still not even removed the food from the picnic basket?”  He guffawed with amusement.  “If you intended to only make out the entire time, perhaps you should have just packed chips and soda!”  More laughter followed.

“Et tu, Zane?” Cole called back as Merlin flew in figure-eights above us.  Throwing a friendly wave to the camera, I lay on my back at his side to watch the lovely flight and listen to the teasing exchange between the brothers.

“So, Cole,” Jay inquired, “How much is the video worth to you before it goes to Sensei Wu?”

Cole growled aggressively into the comlink, “How much are your **_teeth_** worth to you, Sparky?”  The three Masters on the other end howled with laughter.

Their merriment was short-lived.  “ _What_ is going on in here?!  Zane, turn off that bird!  And you guys get _out_ of here, and—“  Nya’s angry voice was heard right before the connection was abruptly cut off.

With a huff, Cole collapsed onto his back next to me on the blanket.  I chuckled, watching Merlin soar out of the clearing, heading toward the _Bounty_.  “I guess that’s what it’s like to have pesky little brothers.  We should never lack for surveilling escorts.  Better than self-control, right?”

Raising himself on one elbow and leaning over me with the other arm, Cole lost the stern look and smirked.  “Oh, there’ll come a time…” 

He kissed my bottom lip, nipping it a bit.  “…when we’ll be alone…” 

His lips moved to my cheek.  “…no one else will be around…” 

My neck received a kiss.  “…to interrupt us…” 

Then my collarbone.  “…in the right place…” 

Then a spot on my chest just above my low collar.  “…at the right time…” 

Before he went any lower, I caught his head and pulled him back up to look at me, pecking him lightly on the mouth.  “Then one of us will remember our little son…”

His brows knitted in pretend annoyance.  “Geez, the little ankle-biter’s not even conceived yet, and he’s already interrupting us?  How’s that gonna work?”

Matter-of-factly, I said, “Well, your idea is to avoid his conception until _after_ I fight Garmadon, right?”  He just looked away from me.  Visited by a disturbing thought, I asked quietly.  “What if something happens to me at that time, and we were never together?”

He faced me, answering quickly and frankly.  “Then we’d both die virgins, ‘cause by the time anything would happen to you, I’d already have been killed fighting to protect you.”  All I could do was stare at him in silence as he stared back.

Finally breaking the tension, Cole reached up and brushed my hair away from the side of my face, exposing my ear with its new jewelry.  “You make these stones even more beautiful.”  Caressing my cheek with the back of his hand, he added, “I’m famished.  Let’s eat before it gets dark.”

I felt like a huge boulder had dropped into my stomach. The thought had occurred to me before, and I had dismissed it, but now I had Cole assuring me in no uncertain terms that he would defend me to his death, if the situation called for it. I had to consider that there was actually a possibility that he could die.

I couldn’t stand to think of it.  The pain in my stomach moved up into my chest when I did.  I might be a nurse, but I had never handled the topic of death well.  Especially that of those dear to me.

Still lying supine on the blanket, I put out my hands and opened the front of Cole’s shirt wider, exposing his broad, chiseled chest and abdomen as he hovered above me with a thoughtful appearance, supporting himself with his hands on either side of my trunk. 

Running my fingertips lightly over his olive skin from his collarbone to his navel, sending a wave of goose bumps across his powerfully-built upper body, I noted the multiple, lighter marks scattered here and there.  “Have all of these scars, and the ones on your back and arms, come from battle?”

Taking a quick look down at his uncovered torso, he shrugged as if bored.  “Eh, some of them have.  But a few I got during training, and others from the adventuring and traveling I did before I met Wu.  Some of it was kinda risky and stupid.” 

Lifting his chin, Cole pointed out a nearly two-inch scar under it.  “Like, I got this when I made a poor choice of handholds scaling a sheer mountain face and apparently thought I could stop my slide with my jaw.  Another scar just above my right knee was from the same climb.”

Holding my gaze, he removed my hand from his abdomen and placed it on the side of his face, pressing my palm to his cheek as he spoke. 

“I know what you’re thinking, and I want you to quit dwelling on it.  Sure, I make plans all the time for anything and everything, but we can’t sit and worry about every horrible thing that may happen.  All we can do is seize the day, hope and pray that all goes well, our plans all work out, and good will prevail.”  He ended with a small grin.

“How can you be so dismissive about this?” I asked with an edge to my voice, sitting up as I did so, and causing him to move to sit beside me with his shirt still open to his waist.

Shrugging, he pursed his lips.  “I don’t know.  I guess because I’ve done so many life-threatening things over the last few years, nothing scares me.”  Dipping his head, he included, “Except the thought of something happening to you.”

With a hand to my upper abdomen, I examined the blanket under us, making a face as unspeakable thoughts clamored for a foothold in my mind.  “The thought of anything happening to _you_ makes me absolutely _sick._   I don’t think I could _live_ without—“

He grabbed my chin suddenly, rendering me speechless a moment, and held it so I would look directly at him.  His eyes on mine were unwavering, his voice adamant.  “ _Never_ say that!  If anything ever happens to me, _never_ give up.  _Ever._   There’s so much in Ninjago that’s _more important_ than I am.” 

On the verge of crumpling, I fought back my tears and shook my head in his hold in denial of his statement, whispering, “There is _no one_ who is more important to me.”

The intrepid ninja leader’s features softened as something like torment flashed in his eyes.  Knowing that I was in dire need of TLC, my dark-haired, considerate angel gathered me in his arms, and lifted me from the blanket onto his lap.  Holding me tenderly while I clung to him and pushed my face against his warm, tanned neck, he tilted his head to rest on mine as he gently rocked us back and forth.

With my eyes closed, I breathed in his comforting, masculine scent and pulled my arms tightly around his hard back, trying my best to empty my mind of all thoughts of any harm coming to my cherished Cole and to appreciate what I had now.  _I just got him.  Please, Lord, let me keep him._

We stayed like that for a long while in silence before he made an attempt at sounding lighthearted, saying, “Besides, nothing’s going to happen to me any time soon.  I have a boy to father when all this mess is done, remember?”  

I sniffed loudly at his comment and heard his stomach rumble back at me.  He chortled.  “Come on.  Besides seizing the day—and you—I’m really ready to seize the food.”

After placing a kiss on his neck, I started to slide from his lap, but he shook his head and kept me there with one arm while he opened the basket with the other and began to remove its contents.  I happily stayed where I was and helped him from my privileged seat.

“Okay, let’s see…It’s not four-star-restaurant rated, but I think it’ll be nice for our little picnic here, _if_ I do say so myself.”  Chef Montanaro placed our plates and the food containers on the blanket, and, with my assistance, began opening everything.

“We have a baked brie, bruschetta, strawberries and black grapes sweetened with vanilla yogurt, roasted chicken breast, and…”  He uncovered the last container with a flourish, “…the _piece de resistance_ —chocolate torte for dessert.”  I applauded his culinary efforts, especially the torte. 

Reaching into the nearly-empty basket, he withdrew a small, glass decanter filled with a clear, golden liquid, holding it up and peering at it in confusion.  “Um, I don’t think this is the tea I had packed.”

Taking it from him, I removed the stopper and sniffed the top of the decanter, giving my opinion of the floral, fruity bouquet, “Smells like a white wine, a riesling, maybe?” 

Cole checked the basket again.  “Why in the world would Zane swap out the tea?”  I was busy pouring a glass while he investigated.  He looked at me doubtfully.  “Uh, we’re probably safer skipping that.  We don’t need anything lowering our inhibitions—”

“Actually, it should go well with the brie and torte.”  My eyes smiled at him over the rim of the glass as I sipped the semi-sweet beverage. 

“Let me rephrase that.”  Angling an eyebrow with an uneasy air, he pointed a finger to the middle of my chest.  “ _You_ are probably safer if _I_ skip that.”

“Not to quibble, but it’s probably the other way around.  And it’s the only thing in the basket to drink, isn’t it?” I held up the glass like I was making a toast.

 

His silence answered my question.  Taking the glass I offered, he muttered only, “Dammit, Zane.”

* * *

My mood on the walk back to the _Bounty_ at dusk was not as cheery and upbeat as it had been on the way to the glade, but I wasn’t letting it ruin my date with my earth ninja.  Cole tried to act like he was fine, too, but I could tell from the heavier feeling of his element that our talk about our uncertain future wasn’t sitting well with him, either.  That, or it could also have been the glass of wine.

With Cole’s arm around my shoulders, our conversation had mostly been about the trip we would be taking the next day.  When the ship came into sight, we had been quiet for a minute, before he had taken a preliminary breath, and popped up tentatively with, “Before Kai brings this up, Sofiya kinda kissed me in the coffee shop yesterday.”

I shut down in the pine-straw-covered trail, casting a disbelieving look up at him as he was forced to stop suddenly beside me.  “Ex- _cuse_ me?  She _what,_ now?!  She didn’t mention _that_ when I talked to her a few hours ago!”

He lifted his shoulder with a wince, perhaps wishing he had thought twice and kept his mouth shut about the subject.  “Probably because she didn’t mean anything by it!  She did it in front of Zane to get the _waitress_ to back off of me—”

I know my distressed face was a neon sign displaying my insecurities.  My gorgeous, lithe, ethereal friend had kissed Cole before I had…“In front of Zane?  Why did you _let_ her?!”  That was not exactly fair of me ask, and I got my just desserts.

He hit the mark with a tilted eyebrow.  “You let Kai kiss _you_.”  _Oh, no, he **didn’t**_ … I narrowed my eyes warningly at him.  He got the hint pretty quickly that that remark was gonna send this discussion in a bad direction, and hastily changed his course.  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t bring that up again.  But I didn’t exactly _let_ her.  She really surprised me with it.”

Fair enough.  “Did you…enjoy it…with her?”  I bit my lip a little while I waited for his answer.  _Pleasesay’no’pleasepleaseplease…_

With a sigh, he bent to drop the picnic basket and his scythe on the trail, straightening to take my face in both hands, saying soothingly, “I was wishing she was you the whole time…when I wasn’t worried about being frozen into a popsicle.”  He punctuated that with a sexy little grin and a kiss on my nose.

Well, that was one thing off my mind, but…I grabbed his wrists and pulled them down, losing my insecurity and feeling anger and jealousy bubbling up.  “And that _blonde_ **_slut_** _?!_   What was she _doing_ to you?!”

“Oh, now, you don’t know that she’s a _slut_ ,” Cole countered with a furrowed brow and a hand on his hip.  “She seems like a very nice young lady—”

I thought my eyes were going to pop from my head _.  “WHAT?!”_   _Whose shrill voice was **that**?_

He swiftly put up both hands in a defensive gesture, taking a cautious step back from me and laughing, “I’m joking!  I’m joking!  She’s a _rabid_ slut!”

Crossing my arms grumpily, I turned away from him.  “Hmmph!  Apparently she didn’t learn anything from me when we were there last…”  _I’ll just have to be less subtle next time…_

From behind me, he sounded curious.  “What would she have learned from you?  I don’t remember you talking to her.”

My face lost its surly look, replacing it with one of guilt.  “Um…nothing?”  _Damn!  I just gave myself away._

“Arwyn…”  With his hands on my shoulders, he turned me to face him again.

I tried to play it down.  “Well, I may have given her a little ‘hot hand’.”

“You _burned_ her?!”  He seemed a bit shocked at my vindictiveness.

“Geez!  It wasn’t _that_ big a deal!  I didn’t _burn_ her, per se, I just heated a plate…”

“And?”

“…And handed it to her.  No big deal.” 

He slid his hand over his forehead and through his raven hair.  “Arwyn, really…?” 

Putting my hands on my hips, I delivered my closing argument for the defense.  “Hey, when a girl’s got such a smokin’-hot guy that she sometimes feels she needs to stop, drop, and roll around him, she anticipates having to beat other women back with a stick and does what she’s _got to do_.”

Even in the gathering dusk, I could tell that the change of color in his face was a blush when he quirked his mouth and an arm stole around my waist to tug me to him.  Casting a self-conscious glance over his shoulder toward the vessel hovering above the Sea of Sand, Cole stepped off of the trail, taking me with him, putting at least one tree between us and any observer on the _Bounty_.

Bowing his head, with his lips lightly stroking mine, he spoke softly, enticingly, his warm breath tickling my skin.  “For the record, I didn’t kiss Sofiya back, I didn’t want the waitress’ attention, and I love you utterly, my heart.”

I would have said ‘I love you more’, but I found that I couldn’t say anything.  I was too busy trying to match the intensity of the sweet magic his mouth and hands were working on me to be able to speak.  But he knew.  I was telling him anyway.  Just not in so many words. 

****Cole’s POV**

_Holy…_ Being with Arwyn in the forest was the most amazing time I’d spent with her so far!  It was just like in my dreams!  Except that Rocky wasn’t there.  And we were wearing too much clothing…

It was a lot like the night before, right after we had confessed our love for each other.  I couldn’t keep my hands off of her, and she responded in kind, letting me know how much I meant to her. 

Giving her the earrings was a little scary, since she started crying right away.  I wasn’t expecting her to do that.  All I could think of was when I had asked the jeweler if I would be able to return them if she hated me.  Thank goodness that wasn’t the case!

Telling her about our future baby was great, too.  Most couples pretty much hope that they’ll have children eventually, but to know that there’ll be one for sure, and what he’ll look like, and that your relationship is actually gonna progress to that…It’s just an awesome feeling.

As for the interruption from the guys, I was just glad we weren’t really up to anything more when it happened.  I also got to wondering how long that damned bird had been perched somewhere watching us…

Otherwise, like I said, everything was great until she brought up the chance of one of us dying before we can even get very far into a life together.  How was I supposed to answer that?  I can’t tell her nothing’s ever gonna happen, because anything _can_ happen at any time with our work.

All I can do is try to keep us both positive and optimistic and hold her and cherish her every moment I can.  And try not to look too far into the future, although I could already see us as an elderly couple with our children and grandchildren like olive plants around our table… 

Hoo, I was getting ahead of myself!  Maybe it was the little glass of riesling.  Dammit, Zane.

I also blamed the wine for making me chatty and nearly getting my ass in a really tight crack by telling her about Sofiya kissing me.  I only did it because I thought it might be better if I said something first since I knew the next time Kai got pissed at me about something he’d probably blab it.  I still don’t know how I defused the situation and came out clean.

Anyway, when we finally made it back onto the _Bounty_ , we found that Zane and Kai had absconded to Ninjago City, Jay and Nya had disappeared somewhere on the ship, Sensei was segregated in his quarters, and Lloyd was left to his own devices.  That was not always good.

Deciding that finding a quiet place to be alone might tempt us too much at that time, and feeling badly for Lloyd, who seemed lonely, we spent the rest of the evening in the game room with him, playing board games and watching an animated movie on the family-oriented channel until we all fell asleep. 

Sometime during the night I woke, stretched out on the couch with my back to the cushions, one leg over the back of the couch, and my arm around Arwyn’s waist as she was spooned up against me. 

I opened my eyes just a crack when Kai’s hushed voice came from just above my head, “You do know you have a bed that Sensei wouldn’t mind you sleeping in.”  _Smart-ass_. 

Readjusting my position a little behind her, I mumbled, “Arwyn needs holdin’, and I mean to do it.  I’m not going anywhere.”  She never moved in front of me.

“Uh huh.  I see that.  Suit yourself,” Kai responded with resignation.  The fire ninja walked up to Lloyd’s beanbag in the light of the television and gave the stuffed seat a kick.  “Lloyd!  Get up, and come sleep in the bunkroom.  You don’t need to be in the line of fire later.”

My blonde sidekick squirmed on his cushion, raising his head just enough to check on Arwyn and me.  Dropping his head back down, his answer was a little muffled.  “I’m staying if Cole’s staying.”

“Well, fine.  Why don’t I just rent out _both_ your spots in the bunkroom?”  He stopped in the doorway on his way out.  “You’ve been warned, big guy.  I don’t want to hear it if the golden tornado tears through here in the morning.”

 _Bring it on_.  Lifting my arm above the back of the couch, I waved him off to bed.

Arwyn cuddled up nearer to me, and I returned my arm to its proper place around her waist, adjusting on the couch so we fit better together.  “I could seriously get used to this quickly,” I rumbled sleepily behind her, smiling in the dark and pressing a kiss on her hair.

“I already have, my heart,” she admitted, getting a squeeze from me.

Lloyd’s breathing was soon slow and steady again from the direction of the beanbag as I started to drift off while thinking what a nice little family we already had.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment or kudo if you're enjoying the read, and have a great one!


	23. Meet the Parents:  Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane and Lloyd accompany Cole and Arwyn to visit her parents who are not exactly pleasantly surprised to learn of her new vocation. Cole also finds her father is as protective toward Arwyn as he is.

MIYAGI

****Cole's POV**

We had arrived just outside of the little town of Miyagi at about mid-morning, dispelling the Spinjitzu vehicles less than a tenth of a mile from Arwyn’s childhood home so as not to make an entrance that would startle her parents. 

Zane, Arwyn, and I were in full uniform—gi and armor, leg and arm wraps, tabi boots, scabbards, and weapons—having removed only our hooded helmets and masks.  She had figured that she’d may as well not try to hide anything anymore—except the vehicles.

Lloyd was beside us, in a green shirt and black pants with sneakers, and we each carried an overnight bag as we strolled the last leg of the journey to her parents’ farm.  Actually, only three of us were walking on the dirt-and-gravel lane.  Lloyd was busy annoying me a little by running circles around us and kicking up dust and rocks on the extra-long driveway to the little cottage.

I could see the gleam in Arwyn’s eyes and the glow on her face when she looked down the road to her parents’ home, surrounded by oaks with low-hanging branches and fruit-laden mulberry trees.  It was good to know she was glad to be there.  I doubted I was gonna be looking the same way when we got into Castor tomorrow.

“Really, I can handle telling my parents alone if you three don’t mind hanging out on the porch for a while,” Arwyn offered as we approached the front steps.  Not knowing what I was in for with her father, it was really tempting, but…

I had to nix that.  “Nope.  We’re your back-up, even with this.”  I gave her an encouraging kiss on the cheek, eliciting a grateful smile in return.

Zane also pledged his support just before the front door opened and her mother, a petite, short-haired brunette of about fifty-five, who had seen many years of outdoor work, emerged onto the porch and descended the steps.  “Arwyn!  Honey!  I didn’t hear you drive up.  How did you get here?”

Without delay, Arwyn covered the distance between her and Sora, greeting her with a kiss and a hug.  “Uh, we got dropped off.” 

Putting Arwyn at arm’s-length, Sora surveyed her taller daughter.  “Goodness, sweetie, you’ve lost so much weight!  You’re too thin!  And what _is_ this outfit all about?”  Looking up at Zane and me, she made out that we were dressed similarly.  Then she caught sight of all of the weapons. 

Her smile dissolved, and her mouth opened a little with the beginnings of a question, but Arwyn hurriedly interrupted her.  “Where’s Daddy?”  Her mother didn’t have a chance to answer. 

Our attention was suddenly diverted to the left-hand corner of the cottage, around which strode a tanned, brown-haired, twenty-something male wearing soiled work clothes, carrying a gleaming machete in one hand and a sickle in the other.  Following closely behind him was another man, wiry, bronzed, greying, and sixtyish, of a medium height and build, with a shovel and a hoe.  

Ever on the alert, Zane and I snapped into defensive positions between Arwyn and the interlopers.  Pulling my scythe from my back sheath with one effortless motion, I brandished it in front of me while Zane smoothly moved to stand at my elbow, a shuriken in each hand.

The younger male, upon seeing us, halted without a word where he stood, swiftly raising the machete in his right hand over his head like a katana.  The sickle in his left hand he held out toward us threateningly. 

The older man, nearly plowing into the first, stopped in irritation, then looked up to see Zane and me on the defense. 

Dropping the hoe, he sidestepped the machete-wielder and held the shovel up at us with both hands, its sharpened edge flashing in the morning sunlight, yelling, “What the _hell_ is going on here?!”  Too late, I recognized him from Arwyn’s photos.

“Daddy!” she sounded from behind me.  Putting her hands between Zane and me, Arwyn pushed us apart saying, “Heel, boys!” 

Stepping from between us, she walked quickly to her father, returning his kiss and hug after he and the samurai-wannabe had placed their tools on the ground.  Zane and I relaxed our stances, but held onto our weapons. 

He smiled joyfully at his only daughter.  “Well, punkin, I didn’t know you had gotten here already!”  My hackles had gone down for a moment, but came right back up when I turned my attention to the younger man just behind him.  

A little shorter than I was, with chiseled features and an athletic build, I guess he could be considered attractive by some.  To me, he was a ravenous wolf, covetously salivating over Arwyn.    

Through narrowed eyes, with a set jaw, I watched him shamelessly checking out my black-haired Beauty until Ryo turned toward him. 

_You can look all you want, but don’t get any ideas… I already got your number, jerkwad._

Zane’s elbow nudged me sharply, but when I gave him a slanting glance, all I got was his profile as he stared straight ahead.  _What pheromone did he pick up **this** time?_

Ryo began introductions.  “You remember Remy Granger, don’t you, Arwyn?  He’s been helping me out on the farm for about a month now.”

The lupine twit walked up closer to the pair, declining to take Arwyn’s hand due to his being work-stained, instead, touching his fingertips to his brow as though he was tipping a hat, then bowing slightly.  “Your father’s been telling me everything you’ve been up to.  I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”  His smile was pearly-white.

 **_‘Again’_ ** _?_

I noticed Arwyn’s quick look at me.  “Remy and I were classmates all through high school.”

He laughed a little, shoving his hands in his pockets.  “You have always been so smart and pretty!  It’s been a few years since I saw you last, but you haven’t changed.”  Arwyn blushed and turned the back of her head to me.

Ryo chimed in, “He was a good student and ball player, too.  I don’t know why you never dated him.”

Recovering, Arwyn shrugged indifferently.  “He never asked.”

Remy gave another brief laugh, defending himself, “I was too shy.  Then you were with Keiji.”

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah_.  _You snooze, you lose, dud.  Get over it._

Apparently he wouldn’t.  Shuffling a bit, he looked hopeful, lowering his voice like he thought we wouldn’t hear him.  “But, now that I hear he’s out of the picture, maybe I could take you to supper tonight?”

 _Ex **-cuse** me?!  A little ballsy right in front of everybody, aren’t we?_  I’m not sure what was showing on my face at that moment, but I felt Zane’s hand grasping my sleeve at the elbow.

Grimacing the tiniest bit, Arwyn tilted her head somewhat.  “Thanks, but, I actually have a boyfriend.”  Finally turning to me, she motioned, “Remy, Momma, Daddy, this is Cole Montanaro, a friend of mine.”  

Bowing, I greeted them.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Saito.”  _You, Remy, not so much…_

 _“_ We’ve just started dating, but we’ve known each other for several weeks.  And these are two more of my friends, Zane Julien and Lloyd Garmadon.”

From where he’d been standing beside me, Lloyd straightened and probably thought he was going to start expounding on his family tree, “Well, actually I’m her—,” but he was interrupted by a black-gloved hand sliding over his mouth.  Zane stood behind him, nodding his greetings and smiling inexplicably at all observers with no explanation.

Remy looked like he’d just crashed and burned.  “Oh…well…”  Taking a couple of long steps up to me, he stuck out his hand for a shake with a determined show of his teeth that was meant to be a smile.  “Nice to meet you, Cole.  Hmm…strong grip you have there.”

I shook his hand, acting as cool as my ice-maker brother.  “Really?  Doesn’t seem to bother anyone else.”  I was satisfied that he’d gotten the hint. 

Holding my gaze a little longer than necessary, Remy just nodded, then turned to his employer and his former classmate who was rolling her eyes at me.  “Well, Arwyn, maybe I can catch you between boyfriends next time.”

I thought about catching him between his shoulders and his head for that, but instead I faked a cough into my fist that sounded a lot like ‘loser’.

“Look me up later, if so.”  The ass winked at Arwyn, who stiffly smiled back, then bowed slightly to Ryo.  “Mr. Saito, begging your pardon, but I’ll just start that next job you wanted to do.  Nice meeting all of you.”  He stooped to pick up all of the tools and walked away, giving me the eye one last time as I watched him leave. 

 _Good riddance_.  With his exit, Zane relaxed more next to me.

Turning to me, Arwyn’s father stuck out a grimy hand with a polite smile.  “Ryo.”  He gave me the once-over.  “Odd uniform for a self-defense school.  What kind of field work can you possibly do with that shiny, gilded scythe, son?”

Taking his hand, I shook it more carefully than I had gripped Remy’s, admitting, “I…don’t use it in quite the same way you would, sir.”  His look was filled with skepticism as he greeted Zane with a handshake, too. 

Sora had been quiet through the whole exchange, watching the antler-clashing observantly from the porch steps.  Smiling, she said, “Come in, everyone!  I’m sure it was a long trip, and you’re probably hungry and thirsty.”  Addressing Lloyd, she asked, “How would you like some ice cream?”

He must’ve thought he’d died and gone to heaven.  “I get to have ice cream in the _morning?!_ ”

Arwyn laughed as she tucked her hair behind her ears and met her mother on the porch.  “You’re going to ruin him in a day, Momma.”

Sora waved it away.  “So it’s one meal.”  Pausing, she squinted at Arwyn’s ears.  “Those are beautiful earrings, sweetie!  They look expensive.”

Arwyn proudly touched one earlobe with a fingertip.  “Thanks, Momma!  They’re a gift from Cole.  Our birthstones—rubies and amethysts.”

Ryo was following his wife and daughter into the home as I trailed immediately after him, Zane and Lloyd bringing up the rear.  “I hope you didn’t have to give anything for those.”  He sounded a little grumpy.

I was uncomfortable talking about money, since I didn’t have much, but felt I needed to say something.  “Well, they weren’t _free_ , Mr. Saito, but I bought—”

He stopped short in the doorway and turned to fix me with a piercing eye, saying pointedly, “I was talking to _Arwyn.”_

My brows came up as I was not sure how to reply to that.  Sora took care of it.  “Ryo!  That was **_not_** necessary!”  _Yikes._   I did not have a good feeling about this.

Once Lloyd had been settled on the couch between Arwyn and me with a bowl full of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup and crushed cookies, I tried to relax as she chit-chatted with her parents who sat in armchairs across from us.  Zane had chosen a spot out of the way by the window through which to keep an eye on any traffic.

I knew things were about to hit the fan when Ryo sat back and inquired, “So, how is the self-defense-training course going?  When are you going back to the clinic?  You know you can’t be gone forever.  I’m surprised your doctor friend even let you off this long.”

Arwyn fidgeted on her end of the couch, a flush coming over her features.  “Uh…I have a few things I need to tell you, and I don’t want you to get upset that I’m doing this, ‘cause it’s for the greater good.”  With that preface, she proceeded to tell them all the basics, skipping over the battle on the _Bounty_.

Sora and Ryo listened silently to her oration, holding their questions and comments, but looking at each other and their daughter with concern and some confusion.  When she finished, Ryo’s first question was biting.  “You’ve been _lying_ to us?”

Arwyn cringed, “Well, just a _little_.”  She illustrated with a short distance held between fingertips in front of her face.  “More like _omissions_ than anything else… And only to keep you from worrying too much!”

His next accusatory question was aimed at Zane and me with a touch of hostility.  “You’re training our little girl to be an _assassin?!”_

Zane set his mouth in a straight line and turned his face to the window with a lift of his brows.  This was not gonna be good.  “We—”  I got interrupted.

“You’ve always been such a good girl!”  Sora was on the verge of tears, clutching her hands into fists in her lap while she spoke to Arwyn.  “You had a great job, a nice place to live, a doctor who wanted to date you…Why are you living in a _cult_ on a pirate ship with a group of _men?!_   And why wouldn’t they let you come home earlier?”

Ryo stood as his voice got louder, bringing me to my feet at the same time.  “What are they making you _do_ in this cult?  Are they forcing you to do anything against your will?  You’re not _pregnant_ , are you?!”

Exhaling sharply, Arwyn stood from the couch abreast of me.  “Daddy, _nothing_ like that is going on…”

Lifting a hand palm-up in a pleading gesture, I tried to help, “With all due respect, Mr. and Mrs. Saito, we’re _not_ a cult—”

“That’s what _everyone_ in a cult says now, _isn’t_ it?!”  Ryo had rapidly crossed the living room floor and was poking me irately in the chest between my leather breastplates with a tanned and calloused finger.  I gritted my teeth.  Sensei and my father were the only other men who could get away with doing that to me.

Watchful as always, Zane had risen from his chair by the window in anticipation of intervening, and I gave him a quick look.  _Thanks, bro, but I’m not Kai_.

“But you _are_ assassins and spies, _aren’t_ you?!” the older man continued.  “That’s what a ninja _is!_   What are you bunch of men doing to my daughter?!”  Ryo stood a hair taller than Arwyn, but was about half a foot shorter than I.  Standing so closely to me, he was forcing me to look down on him, literally and figuratively. 

Not wanting to incense him any further, I took a step back and lowered myself to the couch, hoping my submissive act would appease him in his territory.  Like Jay, I had seen a few wildlife documentaries.

Looking up at him, I tried again.  “We’re not assassins and spies.  Our mission is much more than that—”

Lloyd decided the discussion needed his input.  “And she’s not with a _bunch_ of men, just five, and Nya and _me!”_

Out of the corner of my mouth, I warned, “Lloyd, that may not be helping…”

It wasn’t.  “Only two women and five men…”  Ryo tore his eyes away from mine to point at Arwyn sternly.  “You’re not leaving this house.”  Turning his glare back on me and Zane, he added without reservation, “But _you_ can.” 

Arwyn’s irritation was beginning to show with a stamp of her foot and clenching of her fists.  “Daddy, it’s not _like_ that!”

From my seat on the couch, I fixed my gaze on his and calmly answered his invitation to leave.  “I’m sorry, Mr. Saito, but I can’t do that.”  Zane took his seat once again as I symbolically held my ground.

Ryo stood in front of me, somewhat stunned that I would refuse.  “ _What?_ ”  No sound came from Arwyn, and my eyes didn’t waver from her father’s.

“I won’t leave her.”  The truth and determination in my voice was clearly evident, just in case he didn’t see it in my face.

I suppose he hadn’t thought I would stand up to him.  “You _dare_ …?” 

Arwyn was still trying to offer explanations for everything.  “It’s because of the _Green Ninja_ thing!” 

“It’s that and the fact that I love her.  I won’t leave her,” I repeated. 

Ryo’s angry expression didn’t yield in the least as we kept up our staring contest.  “If I throw you out—!”  His threat was tempered by Sora’s sharp admonishment. “Ryo!”

 _You and what army?_   I easily kept my composure.  “I’d ask that you don’t try that, sir.”

“Daddy, _please_ —!”  Arwyn placed a hand on his arm, causing me to motion with mine for her to back down, but she ignored it.  Not surprising.  “ _This_ is why I didn’t tell you both sooner.  I _expected_ you to get upset and be worried about me.  But remember, I just _told_ you our sensei is my biological father who brought me to you—”

Lloyd picked a helluva time to enlighten them on the question of Arwyn’s paternity.  “Actually, he’s probably her uncle, ‘cause my dad, Lord Garmadon, is probably her bio father, so I’m her brother!” 

“Lloyd…,” I hissed at him.

Sora didn’t miss a thing.  Her face was aghast.  “The man you’re supposed to fight might be your _bio father?!”_

“He’s _not_ my bio father!  Well, maybe.”  Growing more frustrated, Arwyn brought her hand to her temple.  “It’s a longer story for a later time!”

Zane stood and headed toward the front door, motioning to our little honorary ninja.  “Lloyd, maybe we should take your ice cream out onto the porch.”

Unflustered by the goings-on, Lloyd showed Zane his empty bowl.  “But I’m done with it.”

“Then we will just take _you_ out,” my helpful brother responded, taking the boy by the arm and marching him out of the house.

Rotating away from me, Ryo paced a couple of times back and forth across the living area before inquiring in exasperation, “How could you just leave everything, throw everything you had away, when you don’t even know these people, and you know nothing about what they do?!”

Drawing in a calming breath, Arwyn rested her hand on my shoulder, which I promptly covered with my own.  “Because they showed me without a doubt what **_I_** was and what **_I_** could do.  I knew _nothing_ about myself, other than what you were able to tell me.  I knew nothing about Spinjitzu, but I found that I’m the granddaughter of the First Spinjitzu Master, the creator of Ninjago.”

Walking over to stand between Ryo and Sora, she cupped her hands and held them apart waist-high in front of her.  “I never knew I had this in me.”  A six-inch flame blazed up from the palm of her left hand, while a soft-ball-sized orb of blue ice grew in the right.  Her parents gasped and drew back at the sight of the fire.

She let them get the full effects for several seconds, then replaced the fire with electrical sparks and easily crushed the ice ball to bits in her fist.  Watching their reactions, she stated, “I have control of four major elements, and I’m learning to handle another awesome power from within me.” 

Allowing the electricity to dissipate, and dropping the ice into Lloyd’s ice cream bowl, Arwyn headed for the front door, grabbing my scythe from where it leaned on the doorjamb.  “And watch this!”  Hurling it past Lloyd and Zane and into the front yard, she transformed it into the Tread Assault. 

Gesturing to the Spinjitzu vehicle, she exclaimed, “This is what brought us here.  This is what I can do.”  The tiny sparks of lightning appeared again in her hand.  “This is what I am.  It’s what’s in me.”  Pointing to me where I sat back on the sofa with my arms crossed over my chest, she concluded, “They brought it out.”

I gave her a supportive grin and a thumbs-up.  _Great visuals for the ‘doubting Thomases’_. 

When her sufficiently-shocked parents had caught their breath, her mom said shakily, “S-so you have these marvelous powers, but h-how do you know they’re telling the truth about needing you to fight this…this…evil?”

Walking to her mother, Arwyn put her hands on her shoulders, saying gently, “Momma…don’t freak, okay?  I’ve already had to fight once, a group of Serpentine, and I will have to again.”

An indrawn breath whistled between Ryo’s teeth as he frowned over at me.  Sora covered her face with her hands, and her shoulders shook.  As Arwyn embraced her, the older woman fearfully murmured, “You’ll be killed.”

Arwyn tried to reassure her, looking soberly over at me as she spoke, perhaps thinking back to our troubling conversation in the glade.  “I’m well-protected. That’s why I can’t visit more often.  I’m nearly constantly guarded by at least one of four powerful, vigilant, unrelenting bodyguards.” 

When Sora lifted her tearstained face, Arwyn grinned, “But they let me go to the bathroom alone!”  Wiping the tears from her mother’s cheeks, she continued, “I’ll be okay, my guardians will be sure of that, but this is something I have to do.  It’s practically why I was born.  It’s truly been a major turning-point in my life.”

* * *

 

Things had calmed down quite a bit after her demonstration.  She and I sat with her parents for a Q & A session that helped them understand things a lot better, but they still feared greatly for her safety, which I totally understood.  The whole time her dad was spazzin’ I had tried to keep that in mind.

After a while, Arwyn and her mom had gone to the kitchen to see about finishing the lunch that had been cooking.  That gave her father the opportunity to corral me for a moment before Lloyd and Zane barged back into the house.

The work-hardened farmer solemnly regarded me.  “I suppose I have no choice but to relinquish responsibility for her safety and well-being to you and your team.”

I held his gaze, simply nodding.  I knew what was coming.

“Take care of my baby girl.  Keep her from harm.”

He wasn’t asking anything of me that I didn’t already intend to do.  “To my last breath.”

At least I hadn’t been thrown out of his house.

* * *

When lunch was over, throughout which I’d had to stare at Remy staring at Arwyn, we were given a tour of the farm.  Thankfully, this allowed Lloyd to run off some pent-up energy from his pre-lunch snack. 

The place was a small truck farm, nothing very ambitious, just a means by which Ryo and Sora were able to make a decent living to support their family of three in a comfortable way with a few extras. 

They managed that by growing various fruits and vegetables year-round, and selling eggs from his large flock of chickens and milk, butter, and cream obtained from his small herd of dairy cows.

As we made our rounds, we came to an old, wooden barn with a tin roof that had probably been on the property since well before the time of Ryo’s birth.  It had a precarious lean to the right and sheltered nothing more than the dirt of countless generations of farm animals. 

Arwyn stopped and surveyed it a bit, making the comment to her father, “You’ve been saying for five years that that old thing needs to come down before it falls on someone.  Now that you have help, why is it still up?” 

Ryo scratched his head and shrugged.  “I know it needs to be done, but it’ll take a few days of work, and other things need doing.”

Seeing a chance at earning brownie points and getting some exercise, I glanced at Zane with a cocked brow.  He seemed to get my meaning and nodded slightly.  Hooking my thumbs in the belt of my gi, I spoke up.  “We’ll do it today.”

Ryo and Remy looked at me and Zane with more than a little cynicism.  “That’ll take more than a day to tear down and clear, son,” Ryo argued.

“No, it won’t,” I called back as Zane and I headed to the house to change into the older jeans and T-shirts we had brought with us in case of something fun to do on the farm.

Returning dressed to work, with the Scythe of Quakes in hand, we reported for duty to Ryo.  Facing the barn, I asked, “Which part of the outside of this structure do you think is the strongest?”  Remy looked derisively at me and my weapon, but used what sense he had and kept his lips together.

Ryo lifted an eyebrow at me without a word, then put a hand to his chin and evaluated the aged and slanting edifice.  Walking around to the other side, he finally pointed out a certain area.

With a single swing of my scythe, I brought the house down.  Actually, it was the barn.  As the huge cloud of dust settled, I took in the dumbfounded visages of the farmer and his helper with modest satisfaction.  “That,” I explained, “is one thing I can do with this shiny, gilded scythe.”  Ryo nodded in understanding.

A couple of hours later, Zane and I had about three-quarters of the heap dismantled and cleared, with a little help from Remy, less help from Lloyd, and supervision from Ryo.  He seemed suitably impressed. 

I had insisted that Arwyn stay out of it and visit with her mom, and, for a change, she had listened, so they had taken up stations under the nearest shade tree in lawn lounging chairs to hang out.

It was a fairly warm day, and we were working in the full sun, so before it got soaking wet, I had removed my shirt, hanging it on a fence post.  Within minutes, Remy was shirtless, too.  _What a chump_.

While I worked beside Zane, Ryo decided it was a good time to feel me out.  I wasn’t exactly expecting it then, but, oh, well.  “So you’re dating Arwyn.  What is your primary objective with my daughter?”

I pulled a hefty two-by-twelve loose from the mound of debris and glanced nervously at Zane, who elevated a brow in response. _Crap!  I haven’t had time to rehearse this kinda stuff!  Okay, deep breath and tell the truth—just not **all** of it.  He’s a man, too, I’m sure he already knows that part…_

Tossing the ten-foot-long board onto the nearby stack like it was a matchstick, I halted my work and stood facing him, eye to eye.  “Sir, I love and respect Arwyn more than I ever thought I _could_ love.  I wake up every day looking forward to being with her, and I plan to spend every one of the rest of my days making her happy.”

The older man scrutinized me as he reflected on my words for a moment.  “She had someone whom she _thought_ loved her who did nothing but hurt her.”

That reminder made my thick brows meet over my now-narrowed, penetrating gaze.  “I’m nothing like Keiji.”  The name tasted bitter on my tongue.  “I’ll never intentionally hurt her.”

He issued a challenge.  “What makes you so different?”

“I ask nothing from her that she’s not willing to give to me, and I’ll give her everything in the world I can in return.”

“Hmmph.”  His sound was noncommittal, but his look seemed satisfied as he turned away to view Remy’s work.  I felt I’d passed muster.  I even got a pat on the back from Zane.

Yanking another supporting beam loose and tossing it on the growing pile, I felt the tension leaving my shoulders and remembered a previous plan.  “By the way, would Keiji still happen to be in Miyagi?” 

Apparently without considering why I was asking, Ryo tried to be helpful, “His parents are, but he’s now living and working in—“

“Excuse me, Mr. Saito.”  My quiet and reserved brother, who never butts into anyone’s business, suddenly took it upon himself to butt into mine. 

Stepping between Ryo and me, the manipulator of frozen water cleared his throat.  “Please do not divulge that information to Cole.  From what I have gleaned about this former boyfriend from Sofiya, if Cole knows any of it, he will very likely be inclined to kick Keiji’s guts out if he locates him, therefore, it is best that he does not.”

“Well, thanks a bunch, _Zane_ ,” I said tartly, lifting the next beam and swinging it around so that my interfering brother had to duck low to avoid being hit in the head and shoulders.

“Actually, that might not be such a bad thing…”  Ryo looked wistfully off into the distance.

Zane didn’t disagree, but made an appeal.  “Please, Mr. Saito, we would sincerely prefer to keep Cole with us.  He is much more valuable outside of prison.”

* * *

 

Taking a break later, I grabbed my discarded T-shirt, and Zane, Lloyd, and I headed over to the lemonade mother and daughter had brought out.  Walking over to them, I started to pull it back on, but stopped when I heard Arwyn call to me from her lounge chair.  “Hold on a sec, Cole!  Let me see that shirt.”

With a questioning air, I tossed it to her in exchange for a glass of the cold beverage her mom was pouring.  Rolling it up, Arwyn tucked it behind her head and settled down in her chair again with a little smile and a contented sigh.  “Ahh, that’s better.  We need to keep you that way more often.” 

I gave her a disbelieving snort which she answered by dismissing me with a little wave.  “You may continue to entertain me now.” 

Her mother giggled from her seat.  “I agree, sweetie.  There’s no question that he’s a marvel due to his strength, but he’s also a nice piece of eye candy.” 

I had to turn away quickly when I nearly did a spit-take with that one.  So did Zane.  Arwyn was slowly turning her head to regard her mother with a scandalized look.  “Hey, I may be older, but I’m not dead—or blind,” was her mom’s response.

If my ego had needed a boost, it had definitely gotten it with that little exchange.  It made me feel good to be able to show off for Arwyn without feeling guilty that I was childishly trying to out-do a brother of mine.  After that, I pretty much strutted back to the pile of rubble with Zane laughing quietly beside me.

* * *

 

The entire job had been completed before Arwyn and her mom had gone in to start supper.  After a shower and a change of clothes, I wandered into the kitchen to see what was happening, and found Arwyn chopping veggies alone. 

Smiling when she saw me, she stopped her work and grabbed a towel to wipe her hands as I approached, maybe in anticipation of an affectionate greeting, but I just smiled back and walked past her, taking a seat at the end of the long farmhouse table.

Frowning at me from the counter, Arwyn asked, “What’s up?”  I inclined my head in query.  She clarified.  “Why did you just walk past me and park yourself way over there without even giving me a peck on the cheek?”

I sat back and gave it to her straight.  “Because I am so badly wanting to get my arms around you right now that I can _taste_ it.  So, obviously, it’s safer if I stay over here, since I don’t need your dad catching me feeling you up.”  I ended with a look that said she should have been able to figure that one out on her own.

With a hand on her hip, she appraised the situation for a second, deciding with a laugh,  “I think it’s safe enough if we sit together in the same room.”

“No, it’s not,” I returned, unconvinced, hooking one arm over the back of my chair.

She crossed her arms in front of her and gave me an impatient look that then turned sympathetic.  “I’m sorry you’re having to deal with all of this—the blow-up, the father-of-the-girlfriend thing, and all…”

“It’s alright,”  I answered sincerely.  “You’re **_so_** worth it.  I’ll do whatever I need to, ‘cause I want both of your parents to like me, or at least put up with me.  I intend to be around you for the rest of my life.”

Touched by my words, a sheen of tears glimmered in her eyes for a moment.  “Ohh, you are so _amazing!”_ she exclaimed, making a beeline for me and dropping down into my lap before I could do anything about it.

“You are pushing it, girl,” I warned her, gripping the seat of my chair with one hand and the table edge with the other, sitting up straight and stiff as a board.  When she slid her fingers through the hair at the back of my head, I knew I should’ve just waved the white flag.

“I love you so much,” she whispered against my lips, then applied her soft kisses to my sun-darkened neck, sending seismic thrills in waves throughout my body.

My lids became heavy, and I thought my eyes were about to cross when I breathlessly squeaked out, “Um…baby…maybe you shouldn’t…maybe you should stop.  If I have to stand up right now…something’s gonna be really hard to hide.”

She raised her head to face me again with smile-crinkled eyes.  “With an emphasis on ‘hard’?”

“Ha. Ha.”  My sardonic mirth was stifled with her sweet lips fully on mine again, the tip of her moist tongue between them an invitation I instinctively accepted. 

 _Arwyn, how could you do this to me?_ Officially surrendering, I moved my grateful hands to her torso, then slowly down to settle on her hips.

We never heard the door open. 

“Arwyn Rie Saito!  _Not_ in my house!”  Ryo’s disapproving voice boomed through the kitchen.

Caught in the act, my eyes snapped open, and I sat back quickly, both hands springing up into the air like he was pointing a weapon at me.

I swear I didn’t push her, but Arwyn was off of my lap faster than I thought she could manage on her own and standing several feet away from me with an embarrassed hand to her guilty mouth.  “Oops!  Sorry, Daddy!”

Glaring at her, he simply pointed a finger, causing her to suddenly find something interesting on the wall to check out.  Eyeballing me, it was clear he was not absolving me of all guilt. 

Lowering my hands and placing them in my lap, I crossed my legs, hoping nothing was noticeably evident.

Turning back toward the door, he grouched to me, “I’m going out to milk the cows.  Come and get your hands on teats I don’t _mind_ you touching.”

Wincing at his remark, I hesitated, glancing quickly at Arwyn, mostly for help, a little to buy myself time before I stood. 

Ryo guessed another reason.  “Get out here.  She’s safe in _my_ house.”

Hiding a laugh, she watched me stand slowly as I willed everything to return to normal on the double.  Simulating annoyance with my mischief-making love, I said lowly, “This is _your_ fault.”  She only walked away and made herself busy at the sink, wishing me luck.

In the milking shed, Zane, Lloyd, and I were each soon seated at our own milk cow, preparing to receive instructions from Ryo.  Remy had chosen to work in another part of the barn, so I happily did not have to do this for the very first time within his sight.

Following his tutelage, Zane and I each grabbed the udder appendages as Ryo had shown us earlier.  Lloyd could be heard making grossed-out noises from the other side of Zane.  

Ryo tried to make it sound easy.  “Start out slow, let her get to know you.  Grab the teat, then squeeze and pull at the same time…”

From the next-door cow, Zane leaned toward me, speaking under his breath, “The first part is always good advice, but I would recommend _not_ doing that last part in any other circumstance that involves a teat.  The results are likely to be unfavorable.”  He ended with a gleam in his eye and an uncharacteristically-suggestive grin.

At first, I wasn’t certain I’d heard him correctly, and was temporarily wide-eyed and tongue-tied, but I recovered quickly.   Giving the ice ninja a hard look, I asked, “Zane?  Is that you?”  Going back to the work at hand, my usually-prim-and-proper brother simply snickered.

I shook my head a little, still watching him, with an up-turned mouth.  “Speaking from experience, are you?”  He snorted.  “Z!  You sly dog, you!” 

It wasn’t easy to do without imagining what he had been implying, but I somehow got around to filling my bucket without rolling on the floor laughing.  However, I was a little envious when we were done.  Zane had obtained more milk, perhaps because he had more experience with teats?

* * *

 

When bedtime rolled around, Ryo and Sora expected their female child to sleep alone in her own room, while the boys were to retire to the spare bedroom, meaning, among other things, that I barely even got a good-night kiss. 

Zane and I weren’t comfortable with the arrangements, but we weren’t gonna argue.  We simply decided to covertly split shifts with one of us covering Arwyn’s window from the outside in case of any overnight dangers, while the other rested across the hall from her.

Taking the first outside shift, in uniform, I was leaning against the wood-sided house next to her window, straining my eyes in the dark and listening for anything suspicious besides the night-bird calls and cricket-chirping, when the sash was thrown up.

Jolted from my reverie, I pushed away from the house and reached for my scythe at the same time as Arwyn’s head and shoulders popped out of the window.  “Let me guess.  You and Zane’re  playing ‘we-gotta-cover-every-entry-to-protect-the-Green-Ninja’, right?”

“What else would I be doing?  Peeping?” I retorted as my adrenaline surge plateaued.

Still hanging out of the window, Arwyn motioned behind her with a thumb.  “Seriously, get in the house!”

“They won’t let me stay in your room,” I argued sullenly.

She leaned on the sill on her elbows with her chin resting on a hand.  “Who do you _really_ think I need guarding from here?”

“Oh, I don’t know.  Serpentine, Garmadon, Remy…”

Even her mocking laughter sounded like little bells to me.  “Whatever…”

The window sill was at about eye-level to me, since the terra-cotta-hued home was raised on brick piers.  Reaching up, I took her hand, standing on tiptoes to kiss her fingertips, saying longingly, “After spending the last two nights with you in my arms, I’m really gonna miss you tonight.”

Pulling her hand from mine, she said, “Huh.  I don’t think I’ll miss _you,_ ” and ducked back inside the house, closing the window with a soft thump.

 _Wha-?_   My face fell, and my heart seemed to stop a second.  “Arwyn?”  What had she just done?  She wouldn’t miss me?  What did she mean by that? 

“Arwyn?”  She wasn’t answering, and I couldn’t hear or see anything through the dark, closed window. 

“Arwyn?!”  Tapping lightly on a glass pane, I was truly growing concerned that she’d had a change of heart about me for some reason when the window slid open again. 

Arwyn reappeared suddenly, head first, but leaning out backward, clutching a pillow and the blanket from her bed.  “Catch!”

Baffled at this turn of events, I simply held out both arms, and was just in time as she shoved herself out of the house and fell into my embrace.  “You can’t stay in my room, but we can sleep on the porch!  I already told Zane he wouldn’t have to relieve you.  Forward, ho!” she directed, pointing to the covered veranda.

Holding her to me like I was afraid she might fly away, I happily carried her up the steps to the front porch, where we made our little nest just in front of the door.  Shedding my boots, armor, and jacket, I was thinking that it might be better if she was wearing her uniform, too, instead of her skimpy sleep clothes, but after we settled in, I got over it really fast.

After carrying on for a while, we finally decided to snuggle down and get some sleep.  With Arwyn’s back pulled securely against my abdomen as we lay on our sides, I spoke softly over her head, “We’d better appreciate being together tonight.  Tomorrow we’ll be back on the _Bounty_ , and I’m sure Sensei isn’t gonna put up with me taking up residence in your room, or both of us in my bunk, or us taking over the game room, that sort of thing…”

“I know.  I’m trying not to think about returning to our reality.”  She sounded rueful.  “I’m wishing we would get back and Garmadon will have surrendered to _Chichi_.”

“Don’t forget the Serpentine.”

“Who could?”

I held her closer.  “That’ll all be over and done one day.  One day we’ll be able to live a normal life—just like your mom and dad have here.”

“One day…”  She tried to sound convinced.

Crossing my fingers, I softly reassured her.  “It’ll happen, my heart.  I promise.”

* * *

 

Waking to a cock’s crow, I teased my eyes open in the semi-darkness and felt Arwyn shifting against me, under my arm.  We were still wrapped in the blanket on her parents’ porch.  Not the most comfortable spot to sleep, but I wasn’t complaining.

“Cole?”  Her voice cut through the pre-dawn quiet.

I kissed her head and stretched my stiff limbs.  “G’mornin’, babe.”

“We’ve gotta get up.”  She squirmed around against me, trying to get out of the blanket, which was tucked up behind me.  I checked my comlink watch.

“The alarm hasn’t gone off yet.  It’s just after five.  And stop squirming so much, please.”

“The _rooster_ is Daddy’s alarm clock!”  Urgency was expressed in her tone.  “We need to get into the house!”

“Ooh, right!”  More motivated to leave our warm bed, I threw back the blanket, grabbed my boots and pulled them on.  Arwyn gathered the blanket and pillow as I snatched up the rest of my uniform, then she reached for the door knob and twisted.  And shook it.  Then looked at me.

“It’s locked!  And the back door will be, too!”

“What?”  I tried the doorknob, as if she wasn’t turning it correctly.  “I didn’t lock it when I came out last night!”

“Daddy,” she proclaimed.  _Well, damn_.  “But my window is unlocked!” 

I jumped off the porch and trotted to the window, pushing up on the sash when I reached it, but getting disappointed.  “Shhii…No, it’s not.”

She pressed her palms against the top of her head in frustration.  “Aah!  I don’t want to wait for him to open the door for us and lecture us about this!”  Yeah, I didn’t care for that to happen, either.  I’d rather not give her dad any reason to dislike me so soon.

My mind ticked rapidly over our options before I was looking for a way into the attic.  “Zane!  We’ll go in through the back bedroom window!”

Running through the damp grass around to the back of the house carrying our stuff, I rapped hastily on the spare bedroom window when I reached it.  A moment later, Zane was opening it.  “You rang?”

“Just get her in!”  I was already lifting Arwyn by the waist and supporting her as Zane pulled her into the house.  “Ryo locked the door and window on us!”

As her feet disappeared inside, I threw in my armor, sent up my scythe, and stepped back a couple of yards for a running start, jumping headfirst into the window.  I was pushing myself up to sitting on the sill when the bedroom door opened, revealing Ryo standing in the light from the hall.

When he flicked on the bedroom light, I saw that Zane had somehow kept a straight face.  “Well.  This is awkward.”

Lloyd laughed from the bed.  “Ha, ha!  Bus-ted!”  He was ignored.

“Enjoy your night on the porch?” Ryo asked jauntily.  Arwyn stood next to me with a pained expression.  Feeling defeated, I sighed and pulled one leg into the room.  His countenance hardened.  “I may not be a ninja, but you can’t get anything past me, son.  I’m not sure what you thought you were doing out there, but I know all the tricks.  Pulled ‘em myself."

_Crap.  Crap!  CRAP!_

As he finished, Sora appeared in the doorway, grinning, with her hands on her hips.  “Well!  That looks familiar.  Reminds me of the time my father caught you in _my_ window.  Only you were on the way _out_.”  Our saving grace left the portal to head in the direction of the kitchen, leaving her somewhat-abashed spouse facing us.  “And I was younger than Arwyn.”

“Thanks for the support, sweetheart,” Ryo called sarcastically after her.  “And, if you remember, we were only _talking_ that night!”  Zane, Arwyn, and I glanced doubtingly at one another.

“Rriiightt…And, if _you_ remember, she **_is_** twenty-three, darling.”  Sora’s voice floated from down the hall.

“That doesn’t matter in _my_ house!”  Focusing his attention back on the younger group in the bedroom as we smothered our smirks, Ryo looked sternly at Arwyn.  “Go put on some clothes, young lady, and help your mother.”  Jerking his thumb at the rest of us, he directed, “Let’s go empty those udders before breakfast, boys."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a note if you like what I wrote! :)


	24. Meet the Parents:  Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After visiting Arwyn's parents, the small group arrives in Castor, and Cole drops the bomb on his dad. Arwyn reveals a disturbing event in her past.

CASTOR

****Cole's POV**

The sound of my bare knuckles striking the back door of my father’s home, my old childhood home, rang in my ears like the tolling of a warning bell.  I was not looking forward to my father’s reaction to the knowledge that I was now half of a couple. 

Although this was something I genuinely wanted to share with him, in fact, something I wanted to shout to the world, I knew he wouldn’t take it well.  He seemed to think I should share his aversion to a commitment to any woman, and I had, until I had met the _right_ woman.

As I waited for him to come to the door, I thought about how we had parted from Arwyn’s parents in Miyagi earlier this morning. 

Her mom had been tearful and hugged _everyone_ good-bye.  Her father had hugged his daughter in evergreen, then turned to me and shook my hand, saying quietly, “I’m trusting you.”  I could think of no other way to answer that but with, “Thank you.”

I was betting that this visit wouldn’t turn out quite as well.  Chances were good _this_ would be the house out of which I’d be thrown.

I had left Arwyn, Zane, and Lloyd in my father’s eclectic garden, telling them that I’d prefer to go it alone and spare the innocent.  Zane and Arwyn hadn’t been very accepting of that, but I had threatened to just leave if they wouldn’t stay put, so they did.

When he finally came to the door, my dad seemed pleased to see me.  “Cole, my boy!  Look at you in that snazzy uniform!”  A dark-haired man of nearly equal height, but slighter build, he patted my shoulder affectionately and took a step back to check me out.  ”You look quite dapper, son!  Where are all your friends?” 

I stepped into the kitchen as he closed the door and made for the teapot.  “Uh, they’ll be along soon, Dad.  How’ve you been?” 

“Oh, fine, fine!  You know I’ve been rehearsing with the quartet for the summer festival, and that’s going just splendidly…”  As he went on about his singing group and how things were going at his job as an accountant, I tried to relax more.  At least he was in a pretty good mood.  For now.

He set out tea and cookies on the kitchen table, and I felt a twinge of guilt as I sat down with him, thinking of Lloyd as I did so.  I was sure he was ready for a snack.  I hoped he wasn’t bugging Zane and Arwyn with anything.  

Arwyn.  She was the reason I was here, and my mother was the reason I was concerned about it.  As my dad chattered on, and I occasionally threw in comments, I thought about why I expected him to react negatively.

I had rehashed the whole thing about four weeks ago when Arwyn had followed me down the hall after a sparring session with concern in her voice.  “What’s wrong, Cole?  Your element is like lead on me today.  It’s so heavy, I’m having trouble breathing.”

“Nothing.  I’m fine.”  I tried not to act like I was avoiding anything, or her, but she wouldn’t let me get away when I attempted to escape into the bunkroom.

Jumping into the doorway in front of me and grabbing the doorjamb on each side, she contested my response with a look of inflexible determination.  “Really?  I’d like to dispute that.  Why don’t I sit on _your_ chest for a while to show you how bad it is.  Maybe then you’ll talk.” 

Grinning at that idea, I had briefly considered her offer, but recited my mantra to myself and decided it might be best for both of us if I just unloaded. 

The thought also occurred to me that I lived with a couple of really pushy young women.

“Today is the tenth anniversary of the day my mother walked out.” 

I had called my dad earlier to check on him without mentioning why, and he had said he was going out with his quartet for a night on the town.  That meant he’d be drinking more than he should, then probably spending the rest of the night alone, crying.

Arwyn led me to one of the training rooms where we sat on the floor against opposite walls, and I told her everything I could remember of my mother and what had happened.  We were in there for over two hours.

My parents, Lou Montanaro and GaiaNarkissistós, had met at the university in Ninjago City while my dad was working on his accounting degree and my mother was studying sociology.  They had both chosen electives in the performing arts and were in the same theatre and voice performance classes.  They seemed like a match made in heaven.  For a while.

At first things were good, they assumed they were in love.  They had married after just a few months.  My dad told me my mom was a beautiful Greek brunette, vivacious and lots of fun.  She apparently fancied herself an actress and singer and liked to dress like a celebrity.

 _I_ remember her as being pretty in a manicured way, with bleached-blonde hair, and kinda distant.   

My parents’ personalities were so very different.  He was thoughtful, sensitive, respectful, and compassionate.  She revealed herself to be shallow, selfish, vain, flirtatious with other men, and contemptuous of my father. 

He said she hated being pregnant and had told him that I would be the only child she ever had, since kids were too much pain, work, and aggravation.  She took care of me, but wasn’t really affectionate and didn’t involve herself in any of my activities.   

I had no idea why they ever got together.  Arwyn tried to tell me it was meant to be, that **_I_** was meant to be, that they were brought together so that I would be created at this point in time.  I kinda liked that thought.  Especially since it came from her.

But the fact remained that they rarely got along.  They often had fights about various things, and I wasn’t always sure what they happened to be fighting about at any given time.

When I was twelve, I came home from school one day to have some man I had seen in our living room a couple of times nearly run over me as he left by the back door.  My parents were inside screaming at each other, so I went up to my room with a growing pain in my stomach and turned up my music as loud as I could stand it. 

I still heard my mother yelling things like, “He’s twice the man you’ll ever be!” and “I’m afraid Cole’ll turn out to be _just like you!”_   It was a really bad evening, and I got no supper.

Gaia left that night as I slept fitfully, and my father sat in the garden.  I woke in the morning to find him crying alone at the kitchen table.   He kept me home from school that day and the next. 

After that, when I wasn’t at school, I took care of him and the house for several weeks until he got it together and could take care of _me_.  Sometimes our roles reversed again, and I would become head of the household temporarily. 

Early on I learned to anticipate his bouts of depression and began to have things arranged ahead of time so I wasn’t scrambling to take over when he couldn’t.  Arwyn seemed to think that was why I became as independent and emotionally stable as I was, why I had the qualities of a leader and strategist. 

Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger, I guess.

For a couple of years, my mother checked in with us on special days, like my birthday, her birthday, Christmas.  After her phone calls, I’d spend the next couple of days crying and wondering why she hated us while I tried to keep things going because my father was doing the same.  The last I heard from her was about eight years ago. 

The last eight years had not been so bad.  It was actually better _not_ to hear from her.  Finally I was ready to put all that behind me and finish healing.  Arwyn had helped me begin that process.  I was praying that my father could eventually heal, too.

“So, I’ve been going on and on about things while you’ve been off in La-La Land.  What’s been happening in your neck of the woods?”  My father’s question had me jumping back to the present.

 _How can I do this as painlessly as possible?_   “Uh, well, I just had the time and wanted to check in on you, Dad.  A couple of my teammates and I were in the area, and I thought…”  I ran a hand through my hair, pushing my bangs off of my forehead.  “I thought we’d just say ‘hey’.”  _How lame am I?_

He sat back in his chair at the small kitchen table across from me.  “Well, when will they be arriving?  I could have some lunch prepared when they get here.”

I pushed my untouched plate of cookies away from me.  “They’re here now, Dad, in the backyard.”  His look perked up.  “You remember Zane, the ninja in white?  He’s here, and so is my sensei’s young nephew, Lloyd.” 

He nodded as I paused and swallowed hard.  “And my new teammate.  I’ve told you about her.  Arwyn Saito.  I wanted you to meet her.”  _Hoo, over the first hurdle._

“Yes, you mentioned her in your last couple of letters.  You sounded kind of interested in her when you wrote.  So, is she the latest girl you’re ‘doing’?”  Lifting his teacup to his dark mustache, he winked at me cheekily over the rim.

Sighing, I closed my eyes for a second before looking at him patiently.  “No, I’m not ‘doing’ her, Dad, and please be more respectful of her.”  I held his mildly-taken-aback gaze as I placed my hands on the table in front of me and interlaced my fingers tightly, steeling myself.  “To be honest, which is why I’m here, I am _completely_ and _totally_ crazy in love with her.”

His teacup stopped in midair as he was lowering it to the table.  My father’s disbelieving look was almost comical, his reaction just as I had expected.  “Have you gone _insane?_   Have you learned _nothing_ from what your _mother_ did to me?!” 

The nearly-empty cup slammed to the tabletop, spilling its contents, as his voice got more heated.  “Don’t get involved with this girl!  That would be the _stupidest_ move you could make!” 

Shoving his chair back, he rose quickly and took the few steps to the sink, placing his hands on its edge and snapping at me over his shoulder, “Just have your _fun_ with her, like all the others!  Sow your wild oats and be _done_ with it!”

“I can’t _do_ that, Dad.  I never _have,_ not with _any_ of the girls I dated.”  Standing, I left the table and joined him at the counter.  “I won’t do it with Arwyn, either.  I _can’t_.” 

He suddenly appeared worried, looking me up and down.  “What?  Why not?  Is there…anything _wrong_ with you?”

Closing my eyes, I pinched the bridge of my nose.  “No, Dad.  There’s nothing wrong with me.  Believe me, I’m _completely_ normal.”  Dropping my hand, I faced him again.  “I’m just not that kind of guy, and there are other reasons I won’t—and _can’t_ —do that with Arwyn.  Yet.”

 _And now for the straw that’ll break the camel’s back…_   “But I’m already deeply involved with her.  In fact,  I’ve already reached the point where I can see myself spending the rest of my _life_ with her.” 

My father paled and melodramatically stumbled back to the table, but I kept on, spreading my hands in a sweeping motion.  “I’d marry her _tomorrow_ if I wasn’t afraid she’d think I was nuts for asking so soon!  I’ve already got the ring picked out.”

He sat down hard in his chair, lifting his stunned face to me, his words coming in an incredulous breath.  “You’re so young and foolish.  Why would you want to endure what I went through?”

As he spoke, the back door to the garden abruptly opened, framing Arwyn with Zane coming up behind her.  “Cole?!”  Her manner was fretful, and she glanced fleetingly at Dad, then back to me.  Noting her hand splayed on her chest, I knew she was responding to the strength of my disturbed element. 

“I’m alright, babe,” I smiled gently.  “Just go back out.”  She shook her head once, mulish as usual, making me give Zane the signal for ‘retreat’.  He immediately placed his hands on her shoulder armor and turned her about, leading her back into my father’s refuge. 

As Zane pulled the door closed behind them, I caught my father’s eye.  “See that?  She possesses certain powers that enable her to sense when I’m upset about something, and she cares enough about me to come to see why.”  I sat down across from him.  “She loves me.  I’ve never had that unconditionally from anyone besides you.  Now I do.”

“So you fell for the first girl who showed you some attention?”  I tried to ignore his snide tone. 

“She’s not the first who’s wanted to be with me, there’ve been a few of those,” I admitted, sitting back in my chair.  “But she’s the only one I’ve ever _cared_ about.  I think I’ve been around enough to know what lasting love really is.  I’m sorry you and my mother didn’t have it, but Arwyn and I do.”

He looked down at his teacup, grasping it as if it were solid support.  “We thought we had love at one time.  Then it all went to hell.”  He lifted his eyes to mine.  “You saw how the last part went.  You lived through the fall-out.  Why…?”

 _Enough is enough_.  I leaned forward, resting my hands and forearms on the tabletop in front of me.  “Dad, I’ve come to realize that those who live in the past limit their future.  I no longer care about the woman who gave birth to me,” I lied a little.  “I don’t care that she left.”  That was another small untruth. 

My father regarded me as if I’d committed a sacrilege.  “I’ve decided to move on and be happy.  It’s her loss that she left a wonderful, caring man, that she doesn’t know what her son has become, that she may never meet his remarkable and loving girlfriend who will one day become his wife and the nurturing mother of his children.”  I smiled when I said that last part. 

“You should move on, too, Dad.  You can heal and find happiness without her.  There’s someone out there just right for you if you’d just _allow_ yourself.”

I thought I may have gotten through to him for a second, but then he shook his head like I was making no sense.  “You are hanging yourself with your own rope.   At least don’t have a _baby_ with her so that my grandchild has to suffer through what you did.”

Disheartened, I felt like I was banging my head against a wall and dropped it to my hands on the table for a moment.  Sitting back up, I took a deep breath and stood.  “I came today hoping you would want to meet Arwyn and be happy for us.  I didn’t want to do like I did when I tried to cover up being a ninja.  I wanted to start involving you in…,” _What was that phrase she used?_   “…all the major turning-points in my life.”

My dad stared down at the table while I walked to the door.  “I’ll try to visit again when I can, Dad, and I’ll call and write again soon.”  Grasping the knob, I opened the door, then stopped there, but didn’t look back.  “I love you.”

He didn’t answer as I stepped onto the ‘welcome’ mat and pulled the door closed behind me, my heart as heavy as marble in my chest.  Scanning the lush garden that to some might seem overgrown, I didn’t locate Arwyn, Zane, and Lloyd visually, but I could hear the ten-year-old’s laughter.

I followed the familiar stepping-stone path past the rose bushes and flowering annuals and perennials to the corner that contained a bubbling fountain, iron benches, and assorted bird feeders.  Lloyd was busy floating leaves in the fountain, while Zane sat on one bench watching him, and Arwyn sat on another contemplating the hummingbirds.

As soon as I came within sight of them, she spotted me and stood, covering the distance between us quickly, her expression showing that she knew things had not gone well.  I didn’t have to say anything before her arms were around me, her head on my shoulder.  “I’m so sorry.”

My arms wrapped around her, and I lowered my cheek to rest against hers, squeezing my eyes closed to prevent any tears from forming.

We stood there motionless in the garden for a while as she murmured words of comfort in my ear, and I blocked out all else, focusing on the center of my universe.

That is, until another hand was felt over the spot where I’d been hit by Zane’s rampant shuriken.  I hadn’t heard him come up behind me, but when I jerked my head up in surprise, I was face-to-face with my father. 

He smiled sadly.  “I love you, too, son.  And I want to stay an active part of your life.”

Moved that he had made the effort to follow me out, I was speechless for a moment, able to do nothing more than smile at him and hold Arwyn, until he made the next move.

Stiffly sticking out his hand toward the woman in my arms, my dad introduced himself with a wary smile.  “Luciano Montanaro, miss.  But you can call me ‘Lou’ like everyone else.  Or ‘Cole’s dad’, or ‘hey, you’, whatever the situation calls for.”

She wiggled out of my hold, taking his hand and giving him an authentic smile as she tried to sound lighthearted, although I could tell her eyes had been damp.  “I’m Arwyn Saito, sir, the latest source of cranial pain in Cole’s life.” 

Her odd comment had us both frowning for a second before he laughed, “I’d believe that the only headaches you’ve probably given Cole stem from the fact that he can’t stop thinking about you!” 

Arwyn and I both glanced at each other.  “Oh, you’d be surprised,” I muttered.  Arwyn answered that by subtly stepping on my foot.

Attempting to establish a rapport with my father, her gaze swept over the landscape.  “Cole told me you enjoy gardening.  I’m not very good at it myself, although I grew up on a farm, but I’ve certainly been enjoying yours!  I didn’t realize it would be such a full and beautiful sanctuary.” 

“Why, thank you!”  His eyes lit up.  She had him hooked.  My mother always resented his interest in his garden.  “I spend every extra minute I can tending to it and adding more specimens.  It is my therapy when I’m not enjoying singing with my quartet!” 

He motioned toward the path.  “Would you like a tour?  I have several different sections each devoted to a distinctive style.  This is the formal English area, which is surrounded by the cottage style.  But I also have a Japanese section, an herb garden, a collection of rose bushes, and a country-themed area.”

Accepting his invitation, Arwyn followed my absorbed father down the path as he began to point out various plants in the large backyard.  I watched them walk away from me with a thankful heart, at the same time, noting Zane’s movement out of the corner of my eye.

“It was killing her to be sitting out here while you met with your father alone.  I am sorry I was unable to keep her from interrupting you.”  He came to stand beside me and crossed his arms over his chest, looking down the path.  “She had told me she was going to stretch her legs by walking amongst the blossoms, but she stretched them by running to the back door, instead.” 

I snorted with fond amusement.  Giving my brother a sidelong glance, I said, “Sorry you’re having to deal with this with us.  Probably makes you glad you’re not fighting your own family.”  Thinking that might not be the case, I added, “No offense.”

I was right.  “None taken.  However, on the contrary, your struggles with your parents make me long for a concerned and protective parent of my own.”  He pulled a crooked grin.  “And I can hardly wait to meet Sofiya’s family and have them ferociously attack me in an attempt to defend her from _my_ masculine wiles.”

My raised brows were precursors to a sarcastic comment forming on my tongue which was disrupted by Lloyd’s theatrics.  He lay on his back on one of the benches with his head dangling over the end, arms and legs hanging lethargically toward the ground.  “When are we gonna eat lunch?  I’m _starving_ over here!”  His whine could be heard by  distant canines.

“Come on,” I motioned to Zane as I walked back up the path.  “Let’s go throw something together while Arwyn tries to charm my dad, and before this one passes out.”

****Arwyn’s POV**

Cole had succeeded in talking his father into meeting me and somewhat accepting the idea that his son didn’t intend to remain a wandering adventurer and lonely bachelor his entire life.  It was now my responsibility to try to get him to accept _me_.  And I only had a very short period of time in which to start that process.

Lou and I walked along the path through the garden, going from one theme to the next, as he swamped me with botanical names in Latin and tested my limited knowledge in horticulture.  I had a confession to make.

“I have to admit, Mr. Montanaro, I didn’t do such a great job helping my father on the farm when it came to the crops.  I was much better at tending to the animals.  _They_ rarely died under my care.”  I grinned sheepishly.  “I can’t say the same for the plants.  Thank goodness my _parents_ have the green thumbs, or we would have starved!”

He laughed quietly as we came into the Japanese-themed corner of his spacious garden, probably my favorite area yet.  The moss-and-paver path wound around a reflecting pool with a deer-scarer and a stone pagoda lantern at its edge, then curved through various small conifers. 

When we came to the Zen garden of raked gravel and large stones, he motioned for me to sit on a stone bench nearby, then joined me on it. 

He didn’t waste time waiting for me to compliment his patient labors.  “Cole’s told me a few things about you over the last few weeks, such as your being a nurse, some of your interests, where you were brought up.”   

His inspection of the manicured rock bed soon switched over to me.  “To be honest, I was surprised he was bothering to tell me so much about a girl I thought he was only dallying with when he had never done so before.  Now I find that he intends it to be much more than a dalliance.”

I adjusted my posture and immediately moved onto the defensive.  “So do I, Mr. Montanaro.”

Watching me with a calculating eye, from out of nowhere he asked, “What are your favorite flowers?”

I blinked rapidly.  _Okay, not what I expected_ …”Well, I really have several, like English roses, irises, azaleas, four-o’clocks, peri—“

Cutting me off, he inquired, “And what are your favorite gemstones?”

 _Huh?_   I peered at him confusedly.  “Well, um, I never really had any.   But now I guess they’re rubies and amethysts, our birthstones.”  Pushing my hair back from my face and behind my ear, I showed him my new earrings.  “Cole gave me these two days ago.”

“Huh.”  His comment was short.  “I ask because Cole’s mother saw no use for flowers, they were temporary and a waste of time to her.  On the other hand, she loved precious stones of all kinds for their monetary value and permanence, as well as nice clothing.  They were the only things she cared to have on gifting occasions.”

 _Well, that explains **that** …He’s freakin’ comparing me to **Gaia.**   _I gave my opinion of that.“In _so many_ different ways, I am _not_ like Cole’s mother.  But, to answer your comment about flowers, not being able to appreciate the natural beauty of the world, however fleeting it is, is to be blind to some extent, making one’s life and soul dark and barren.”  Lou’s eyes flickered slightly.

“And while I was elated that Cole chose to give me such a pretty and meaningful gift, the simple fact that he wished to do so and the setting in which he did it was all I really needed.”  Thinking back to our first official date, I sighed dreamily at the memory.  “We were in a glade surrounded by violets.”

“Hmm.”  I wasn’t sure that he sounded very impressed.  “You know Cole has no money or anything else, right?”  He was definitely to-the-point, and I knew what he was insinuating.  And I didn’t much care for it.

Since being romantic meant nothing to Cole’s father right now, I went for pragmatism and looked directly at him with narrowed eyes.  “That means nothing to me.  I put a few thousand into our family’s budget when I joined them, so we’re doing okay for a while.”

“And he may not hold diplomas or deeds, but he’s rich in everything that matters, like integrity, courage, reliability, generosity, loyalty, hope, and love.”  My expression softened, and I glanced away from him with a short chuckle.  “I hadn’t thought about it, but he sounds like a damn knight.”  _My knight in shining armor_ …

I caught Lou making a strange face.  “What?”  Was he doubting my honesty?

He smiled dotingly as he looked past me.  “I know you’re talking about my Cole, but I’m thinking of the time I had police rousing me from my slumber at two AM because they had had an anonymous report of someone scaling the water tower.  They had found my sixteen-year-old son rappelling down the side of it.  On a school night.  When I didn’t even know he wasn’t in bed.” 

He shook his head at the memory.  “While he was standing there between the two policemen, hanging his head, I wasn’t exactly seeing him as eligible for future knighthood, but I _was_ amazed he was able to accomplish it without killing himself.”

 _He didn’t tell me about that one_.  Envisioning headstrong, but responsible, Cole pulling that escapade, I stifled a laugh.  “And what reason did he give for taking _that_ stupid risk _?”_

Lou screwed up his mouth.  “A friend told him he _couldn’t_ do it.  The anonymous caller was probably the same friend.”  I nodded knowingly.

Sitting by the neat rows of gravel, we were both quiet for a bit.  I was wondering where to go with this when the older man spoke up.  “It sounds like you have a lot of insight for a girl—er, woman—your age.”

 _I don’t want to talk about this, but it fits the situation, so here goes_.  I rose from the bench and hugged my arms to my abdomen, inhaling deeply before daring to tread on possibly dangerous ground. 

“Sir, I know you’re wanting Cole to be cautious because of what happened to you.  I understand a little of how it feels to be hurt and betrayed by someone you thought you knew well, someone you thought you could trust.” 

I had turned my back to him and was fixedly eyeing a large stone in the middle of the garden surrounded by rake marks that simulated waves in a pool.

“I was with a guy who cheated repeatedly and emotionally abused me.  I  thought, the more you suffer, the more it shows you really care, right?  I had _no_ self-esteem.  I put up with a _lot_ of shi—stuff—for a long time.”

“At least I did until he hit me a couple of times because I wasn’t willing to give him something he wanted from me.”  I felt like throwing up when I thought about it, resurrecting the shame and anger it elicited from me.  **_Why_** _did I let that happen?_

“It made me really guarded for a while until I met Cole.  I _know_ he will never do those things to me.  He’ll _never_ demand anything of me.”  I turned to face him again.  “And I will _never_ do anything to hurt him.  In fact, I’ll do everything I can to make him at _least_ _twice_ as happy as he has already made me.  I don’t _ever_ want to lose him.”

Lou seemed a little sympathetic when he asked, “Does Cole know everything this man did to you?”

I laughed nervously.  “Oh, God, _no!_   I only told him that my ex was a jerk who cheated.  I’m _afraid_ of what he might do if he knew everything and ran into this guy!” 

Dropping my arms to my sides, I paced a few steps in my tabi boots.  “My girlfriend Sofiya is the only one I ever told the whole sordid story to.  I didn’t even tell my _parents_ , because my father would have killed him.  I don’t know why I’m repeating this today.”  I stopped and held up my hands to him.  “Please, do _not_ tell Cole.”

“I won’t.  And you may be right _not_ to do so.”  His countenance became very serious.  “Knowing Cole, your champion might be motivated to avenge your honor in a very wrathful way.”  He paused.  “But it may be something to share with him later.”

I thought about what my guardian had nearly done to the doctor in my clinic who had only propositioned me.  “Maybe.”

****Cole’s POV**

The sandwiches and fruit were ready, and I had sent Lloyd into the garden to let Arwyn and my dad know they could come and eat lunch.  I would have gone myself, but I saw an opportunity to be alone with Zane.

Setting out the food and utensils on the table while he poured fruit punch into glasses from a pitcher at the counter, I casually started on him, “I meant to ask you yesterday, but didn’t get a chance.  When we were talking to Ryo about Arwyn’s ex-boyfriend, you mentioned Sofiya had told you things.”  I was watching his profile closely and added with an attempt at a laugh, “You also mentioned prison.” 

The stream of punch into one glass was interrupted a split second before it continued.  He said nothing, nor did he look at me, waiting for me to voice a question.  “So what do you know?”

My cool brother went about his work, placing the glasses on the table, still not making eye contact.  “Perhaps as much as you do, perhaps less.  You know I am not privy to your private conversations with your beloved.”

He was clearly being evasive.  Stepping up to his side when he returned to the pitcher, I leaned in with one hand on the countertop.  “Straight up, bro.  Why would you expect me to want to almost kill him?”

The ninja of ice gave me the cold shoulder, literally.  Turning his back to me, he said haltingly, “For…breaking the heart of the woman you love?  _I_ would want to do so.”

“There must be more to it than that.  Tell me the rest.”  What the hell was it with my brothers knowing things I didn’t?  I went around him until I could see his face.  ‘ _Oh, crap’_ was written all over it. 

“Z.  I need to know.”  I pointed a finger near his nose.  “Don’t _make_ me hold you down and dig through your database.”  I meant it, although that probably wouldn’t do me any good since I wasn’t Jay.

His lips barely curved, but he turned to look at me.  “Maybe you should speak with Arwyn.”

“I have.  She told me he pressured her to sleep with him and cheated on her when she wouldn’t.”

My brother in white breathed in slowly.  “Then she held back that he also _hit_ her.”

My mouth went dry, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his steady, ice-blue ones, even as the back door opened and Lloyd came running in, followed by Arwyn and my father. 

 _He. Hit. Her._  I felt a sickening heaving in my gut.

My dad was saying something about how we shouldn’t have had to fix our own lunches, and Lloyd and Arwyn were going to the sink to wash their hands when I was able to regain control of my limbs.  In two long steps I was at her side, my hand on her arm, whispering urgently, “I need to talk to you.”

She glanced at the table where Dad sat.  “What’s wrong?  What about lunch?”

“This can’t wait.”

I took her by the hand and pulled her out of the house without another word, walking with purpose back to the secluded English-garden section.  I wasn’t playing the ‘secrets’ game again.  I wasn’t angry, but I _was_ upset that something this disturbing hadn’t been shared with me.

She was chattering the whole way, trying to sound blasé, but there was an edge to her voice.  “I’m not gonna say I totally won your dad over, but I gave him the what-for when he tried to act all bad, so he knows I’m a force to be reckoned with.  I think we came to an understanding.”

“That’s great, babe!”  I tried to sound enthused.  We’d reached the fountain when I stopped and pivoted back toward her, still holding her hand.  “It means a lot to me that you tried so hard.”  Not wanting to delay this, I jumped right in.  “And I’m thinking if you told him about your experience with your ex-boyfriend, he probably went a lot easier on you.”

Bewilderment shone across her features.  “What do you mean?”

Reaching out, I grasped her other hand, holding both of them, and locked her gaze with mine.  “With all the horrible fights they had, for whatever reason they fought, Dad _never_ hit my mother.”  Her stunned expression and the nearly-painful grip she had on my hands told me she understood right away. 

I lowered my voice to try to control the fury I felt toward a man I’d never met.  “I know we only really talked about him once, and maybe it wasn’t the right time for you to tell me then, but tell me now…What did that _bastard_ do to you?”

“W-who…?”  Her eyes darted toward my father’s house.

“Zane.”

“…Sofiya.”

“Tell me,” I pled gently, sitting on an iron bench and easily pulling her down into my lap, holding her fast to me with one arm around her lower back and the other over her knees. 

She didn’t resist, but clenched both fists and pushed them together in her lap, concentrating her attention on them.  “There’s not a lot to tell…”

“But it’s very important for me to know what happened to you.”

Sitting there in silence for half a minute, never looking up at me, her rate of breathing was coming a little faster than normal.  Every nerve in my body was on edge when she finally began to speak in a quiet voice. 

“He had been cheating and wearing me down emotionally, so it was near the inevitable end of our relationship, when we were at the university.  We were alone one night in the apartment he shared with a friend, and he was…hounding me about being with him.” 

Arwyn drew an uneven breath.  “I kept telling him ‘no’, but…he was really persistent.  I had to shove him away a couple of times, and I guess he finally got frustrated enough…he unexpectedly hit me.”  My jaw became rigid as I set my eye on a point on the far side of the garden. 

“I heard the crack when he did it…there was a fair amount of blood.”  Feeling her tremble a bit, I held her tighter as I began to seethe. 

“It scared him, so he stopped…and, of course, promised he’d never do it again.”  I understood now why Zane thought I’d want to do serious damage to this guy.

She paused, self-consciously bringing a finger up to touch the bridge of her aristocratic nose, still keeping her eyes on her lap.  “I know you had to have noticed that my nose isn’t quite straight, just a little crooked.”  I had wondered about it, but I would never have pointed out what she might have seen as a flaw when I saw everything about her as being beautiful.

“I spent the night with Sofiya.  Begged her not to call the police.  Didn’t want them involved.  I told my parents that I got hit in a self-defense class…Then I took one.”

“I don’t know why I stayed with him.  A couple of weeks later, he was more aggressive.  That’s when he hit me again.”  I closed my eyes, thinking of how I _wished_ I could have been there when he put his hands on her…

“I hit him back that time.  Twice.  Broke his nose badly and had him walking funny for a couple of days.  I heard later he told his friends he was in a fight with two guys.” 

“Before I left the apartment, I told him I’d testify against him in any court if he ever did that to anyone else ever again.  I know I should have called the police, but I figured I had handled my end of it as much as it would be handled, and I just wanted to be away from him.  I stayed at Sofiya’s again that night.  I refused to talk to him again after that, never saw him.”  Her shaking was subsiding.

“Did he…ever do anything…else to you…hurt you in any other way?”  My voice was raspy.  It was so hard to ask her.  I was so very afraid of her answer.

“No.  No!”  She shook her head quickly, relieving my mind.  “By fighting back I didn’t give him the opportunity.  He just hit me.”

My words came through clenched teeth.  “How big is this son of a bitch?”

“About Kai’s size.”  Not much smaller than I was.  _What a man._

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I don’t like to think or talk about it.  I didn’t want to burden you with knowing about it.”  She looked up then, allowing my eyes to meet hers as a tear escaped one of them.  ‘ _Burden’ me?_

Reaching up, I laced the fingers of one hand through the curls that framed the side of her face, pushing them back and wiping the tear from her cheek with my thumb.  “Don’t ever feel like you can’t talk to me about something, anything, no matter how hard it is for you, or how you think I’ll react.”  Another tear was swiped by my thumb.  “I love you, dearest heart, and I’ll always be here for you.  I want to know _everything_.”

Even with the armor in the way, she soon had her arms around my neck and was pressing her wet cheek against mine, whispering, “I love you more, so, so much.”  After taking a shaky breath, she surmised, “I guess we’ve all got bruises, huh?”

I didn’t answer in words, just pulled her more securely to me as I embraced her on the iron bench. 

_If I ever meet that steaming pile of shit, he’s gonna **beg**  me to only give him bruises._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying the story! Leave a nickel in the jar!


	25. Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On their way back to the 'Bounty', the group finds themselves in peril, and Zane is forced to make a decision that goes against Cole's orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy, my readers!

CASTOR

****Cole's POV**

After we both calmed down, we went in and had lunch, visiting with my father for another hour before we gathered our overnight bags and Spinjitzu weapons and headed out. 

I was incredibly relieved that things with my dad had turned out so much better than I had anticipated.

On the other hand, finding out about the disgusting and infuriating way in which Arwyn had been treated by a past boyfriend had me really wound up.  The last two days had just been very trying for all of us.  Except maybe Lloyd.

Once we left my father waving on the doorstep, we had set out on foot for a quick tour of my old neighborhood, heading for the outskirts of Castor, then home to the _Bounty._

Being in the neighborhood brought back a few pleasant memories for me.  I pointed out places I used to hang, my old grade school, the pizzeria where I had my first summer job, the…

“Is that the water tower you scaled and then rappelled down when you were sixteen?”  I whipped around to where Arwyn stood, pointing up at the distant, steel structure.  She gave me a sneaky little smile before rubbing it in a little.  “And then you got a free ride home in a _squad car!_   Aren’t you _special?_ ” 

Glimpsing Zane’s widening smile, I felt a little heat spreading across my face as Lloyd animatedly exclaimed, “You _did_ that?!  Cool!  Could you teach me how?” 

Geez, they had just met, and Dad was telling her stories about my less-than-finer moments.  I’m glad we weren’t there long enough for him to drag out the photo albums and show her naked baby pics of me.  At least he didn’t seem to dislike her. 

“Disregard that, Lloyd,” I instructed as I picked up my pace.  “That was one of those reckless things you do to impress people.”

“Like girls?” he guessed, running up to my side.  I didn’t answer, just carefully watched the sidewalk as I strode ahead, catching Arwyn out of the corner of my eye bringing her hand to her mouth.

Lloyd glanced around at the mostly one- and two-story structures.  “Where’d you learn to do that around here?”

I sighed, knowing what Arwyn’s opinion would be.  “I’d just read about it.  That was the first time.”

And here it came.  “And in the dark.  OMG.  You could have killed yourself.”  She shook her head as she kept up with me.  “That was _definitely_ one of those Y-chromosome stunts.”

I looked questioningly at her, seeing that her features bore an air of self-assurance.  She patiently elaborated.  “You know.  Stupid things that guys do.”

Lloyd egged her on.  “What’s the Y chromosome?”

“The part of your DNA that makes you males do brainless things, like skateboarding on stair rails, jumping off of roofs into buckets, climbing water towers in the dark, etc.”  An amused sneer graced her face.  “I could go on and on.”

Acting offended, I shot back, “Oh, now you’re just being a little sexist, aren’t you?” 

“The truth hurts.  And so do the falls.”  She took on a thoughtful air.  “But some of those injuries might be cleaning up the gene pool…”

Over my shoulder, I appealed for male assistance.  “A little help here, Zane?”

He explained his prior silence.  “I am thinking that she is probably correct.”

Throwing in the towel, I returned, “Thanks for standing up for your team while I take one on the chin, bud.”  My brother-in-white just smiled back as Arwyn playfully gave me just what I said I was getting.

****Arwyn’s POV**

We had all decided to walk a while for exercise, a tour, and to keep from attracting too much undue attention to ourselves, but now we were nearing the edge of town in an older section that had fewer residences and many closed and abandoned businesses.  It was getting a little seedy, to be honest, with fewer pedestrians, less traffic, and more trash. 

I was about ready to suggest that we transform those shiny, gilded weapons into useful vehicles when Lloyd gasped, “I think I hear a puppy!” and dashed through the slightly-ajar door of a nearby former auto-parts store.

In my moment of hesitation, I noted that the building was of brick, one-story, dilapidated-looking, and the windows were boarded.  “Lloyd, you don’t know what’s in there!  Come back!”

Running in after him, I heard Cole’s call not to enter, but it was already done.  About fifteen feet inside, I stopped momentarily in an effort to let my eyes adjust to the limited light from the front door and covered windows and to get my bearings. 

From what I could make out, the place was medium-sized, almost sixty feet wide and close to eighty feet deep.  All of the merchandise had been removed long ago, but the shelves and aisles remained, taking up most of the space in the expansive shop.  Some of them had been knocked onto their sides, blocking passage between the aisles. 

Dust and rodent filth covered everything, and the floor was littered with trash and cardboard boxes.  It had been neglected for quite a while and had probably been inhabited by vagrants during that time. 

Additionally, a few water-stained tiles hung from the suspended ceiling here and there.  I swore I could hear something moving in the space above us, and it made my skin crawl. 

“Lloyd!  Where are you?  Come back here now!”  Between the dim light and the tall, lengthy, aisle shelving, I had no idea where he had gone, although I could hear the puppy’s cries echoing from the rear right-hand corner of the store.

From the same direction, I heard Lloyd answer, “I found the puppy, and he’s caught in some trash!” and quickly headed toward him, calling to Cole in the doorway, “I’m going to help Lloyd!  We’ll be out in a minute!”  He objected, but I was already working my way back there, my sun-spot-filled vision still somewhat impaired as I navigated the maze of shelving. 

 _What is a puppy doing in this place alone?_ I wondered as I crawled over one toppled shelf and squeezed past the end of another, feeling my way as the light waned more and more the closer I got to Lloyd’s corner.  This was giving me a stomachache.  

“Arwyn!  Get back out here!”  Cole’s voice was beginning to sound irritated as I reached Lloyd, who knelt in the semi-darkness next to the small, whining pup.  Newspapers and cans were strewn around him as he felt around the animal’s rear legs.

“There’s something above his knee, but I can’t get it loose.”  He sounded worried as he looked up at me, but I had a hard time seeing his features. 

 _Great, and I can barely see anything back here._ Kneeling beside him, I reluctantly grabbed the little creature and moved my hand to the affected extremity, feeling the offending ligature.  Hmm.  “Feels like a cord or something.”  And it was knotted, the other end fixed somewhere in the pile of refuse nearby.  _Okay.  Strange…_

Reaching for my tanto blade on my right lower leg, I felt a small contraction in my stomach.  _Am I getting sick?_    As I slid the honed blade across the cord, severing it easily, I had a sudden, and anxiety-provoking, memory jog. 

In a hurry, I sheathed my tanto, then lifted the puppy from the floor and grabbed Lloyd’s sleeve at the same time.  “Lloyd, honey, we gotta get outta here.  I have a bad feeling in my stomach.”

He started to follow me around a shelving unit.  “Like you’re sick, and you’re gonna throw up?”

“No.  Like when the Serpentine were on the _Bounty_.”

****Cole’s POV**

We had stayed out on the sidewalk when Lloyd, and then Arwyn, had run into the abandoned building following the whining and barking of a small dog, even though I had tried to call them back.  They had been in there for maybe just over a minute, but I was getting restless. 

“Cole, I sense something very disquieting.”  Zane’s strained words caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise.  That was all I needed.

“Arwyn!  Lloyd!  Get outta there _immediately!_   Forget about the dog!”  Stepping briskly over the threshold as I shouted, with Zane directly behind me, I pulled my scythe from its sheath on my back. 

It was as though I had set off a chain reaction.

Panels began to fall from various points in the sizeable ceiling, stopping me in my tracks just inside the darkened building.  The sounds of movement, scrapes and clatters, came from the area above us, followed by the sight of multiple, small, oval objects being ejected through the openings, coming right at me and Zane.  _What the frick?!_

Holding the scythe in front of me, I automatically threw up my arms to shield my head from the shadowy, unidentified hazards, stopping some, but others struck me in the legs and most landed on the floor around us. 

On impact, I understood that they weren’t the usual weapons, but loosely-closed sacks which burst open easily, releasing a very fine, pungent, yellow powder, spontaneously creating a large, billowing cloud.  The veil of choking, eye-irritating dust surrounded us completely, limiting our vision at once by blocking out what little light we had as well as causing my eyes to tear and burn like crazy.

 _“Ohmigod!_   What _is_ this?!”  One gloved hand went instantly to my weeping eyes, attempting to rub out the offending agent.  _“Arwyn!  Where are you?!”_   The breath I took to call for her caused me to cough and gag on the floating powder.  I heard her answering cry from the back of the shop, then spasmodic coughing from both her and Lloyd.  They were getting bombarded, too.

“Powdered sulphur!” came Zane’s answer to my question about the airborne particulate.  At my elbow, he coughed hard several times.  “An eye- and respiratory-system irritant!  Everyone, pull up your masks!”

 _Kinda late for that_ , I thought grimly, coughing uncontrollably, but followed his instructions anyway.  Starting forward blindly, I yelled, “Arwyn, I’m coming!” and racked my shin and knee directly on the nearest toppled aisle shelf, nearly doubling over in pain.  That’s when I heard the hissing laughter above us.

 _Serpentine!_   “Get down here, you frickin’ cowards!  _*cough*_   Get your frickin’ asses down here, and _*cough*_ fight me face-to-face!”  In quick response there came the clanging of dozens of metallic objects hitting the concrete floor all around us.  Next was more hissing, but not that of the snakes.

“What’s going on?!  _*cough-cough*_   What _is_ that?!”  Arwyn sounded frightened, spurring me to ignore all else and do what I could to get to her as fast as possible, even as I noted a new odor.  Reaching down, I grasped the end of the heavy, downed shelf with my free hand and jerked it up and to the side with no problem, knocking over adjacent shelves, from what I could tell of the sounds of large, metal objects falling. 

I was still coughing and had just begun to hurry forward again when one of the hissing items bounced off of my hooded helmet, landing at my feet.  Stooping, I nabbed it from its resting place at my boot, bringing it to my face to try to identify it better, feeling my head swim as I straightened.  I forced myself to open my still-burning eyes to see I held a pressurized canister which was hissing like mad.  “Zane—?”

As though he already knew my question, the Master of Ice yelled from behind me, “Cole, we need to get outside!  * _cough*_ My database has identified the discharge from these canisters _*cough*_ as a concentrated general anesthetic drug called isoflurane!  _*cough-cough*_   The snakes are attempting to anesthetize us with a sedative which could work on an adult within sixty seconds!” 

His statement was nearly cut short by the slamming of the front exit. 

 _Sonovabitch!  And they just locked us in…How are we supposed to fight this?_ “Zane, get to the door _*cough*_ and get it open and ready!” I sightlessly ran a few steps down the cleared aisle with a hand on the next shelf, bellowing orders to my brother.  “Send the SOS to the _Bounty_!  I’m going for Arwyn and Lloyd!” 

Staggering against the shelf as I went, I shouted across the building, “Arwyn! _*cough*_   Come to me!  Follow my voice!  _*cough*_   We have to get out of here quickly!” 

“I’m…trying!” came her shaky reply which sounded less robust than last time.  “But we _*cough*_ can’t see, and I’m carrying Lloyd!  He’s…gotten too weak _*cough*_ to walk, and…I’m getting closer to that point…” 

That made me try to run faster, but I felt like my feet were being sucked down by thick mud.  Stumbling just before I ran out of aisle, I tumbled headfirst and hit the unseen wall, knocking myself to the floor in the process. 

On my hands and knees, still gripping my scythe, I heard muffled orders from the Serpentine commander above us.  “The ninja are becoming sedated!  Prepare to drop down, and adhere to the plan!  The elemental girl in green and young Garmadon are to be captured!  Kill the wretched leader in black and his comrade in white, and take their golden weapons!”

 _You’re not capturing anyone_ …My first attempt to stand was unsuccessful as I woozily fell back to the hard floor.  In the dark, I groped about for a handhold, finally using my scythe as a crutch to pull myself to my knees, feeling hands on my arms right at that time.  Defensively, but weakly, striking out with a forearm, I hit Zane solidly in the belt.  “Oof!  Easy, my friend!  I am just helping you to your feet!”

“Dammit, Zane!  You’re supposed to—,” I clutched my head, suddenly not knowing which way was up, like I was spinning in a circle.  “…suppose…supposed to be at th-the door…”  I sat back on my heels, hearing Zane’s words like he was talking to me inside a tunnel.

“There is no time for that.  The sulphur does not affect my eyes, nor is the isoflurane sedating me, but it _is_ effecting you!  I cannot leave you to be assaulted!”  I felt his hands on my back.  I was sliding into a warm pool of water…A face floated in my mind’s eye.  Arwyn.  I hadn’t heard her…

Groping feebly, my hand found Zane’s sleeve.  “Forget…me…get Arwyn …Lloyd…out…”

****Zane’s POV**

Cole’s hand fell from my sleeve as his head lolled to the side, and his sulphur-covered body went limp in my arms.  I was kneeling beside him, at the end of an aisle where I had found him on his hands and knees as he endeavored to make his way to the back of the former retailer, to Arwyn and Lloyd.  Neither of them had made a sound in the last minute or so.

“’Forget you’, my brother?  When the loathsome reptiles mean to _slay_ you?”  I carefully settled him on the concrete floor, perceiving an increase in the activity over our heads.  This came a moment before the contemptible Serpentine could be heard laughing and dropping to the floor from their places in the ceiling, then scuttling toward us.

Thinking logically, I knew that, as her guardian, I should concern myself only with preventing the kidnapping of the Green Ninja, but my creator-father, perhaps with the help of the Master Creator, had somehow managed to endow me with what may have been a soul, emotions, and the ability to love, as well as thought processes and reasoning. 

Therefore, I knew without a doubt what I had to do next.  “Forgive me for this, Cole.”  I reached down and grabbed his scythe, pulling it from his limp fingers. 

Stepping back and straining to see through the murkiness for Arwyn and Lloyd, I was wishing I had thermal imaging in my vision hardware.  At the same time, my comlink began to vibrate with a reply from the _Bounty_ to my previous SOS.  **_Now_** _you answer me_ …It would have to wait.

Hearing the Serpentine getting closer to us, I gestured hastily toward my friend and leader.  A stream of ice from my hand entirely encased the Master of Earth from above the top of his helmet to below the soles of his boots in a thick, solid block, just as had once been done accidentally at Mega Monster Amusement Park.

With the Scythe of Quakes in one hand and a Shuriken of Ice in the other, I then turned to meet the onslaught.

The obscuring cloud of powdered sulphur was beginning to settle, affording me the ability to see a short distance into the dimly-lit store.  The high-pitched sounds of pressurized gases being released from their constrictive flasks continued all around me, like I was in a pit filled with agitated vipers.  The second call of the Serpentine commander to his squad broke through the ominous sounds.

“Garmadon’s boy and the girl were at the bait and likely didn’t move far!  Retrieve them immediately!  Acidicus also ordered that the leader and his teammate be put to death!  Find them and see that it gets done, then proceed to the rendezvous point!” 

Doing an about-face, the Venomari marched outside, leaving his lackeys to do the dirty work.  I was getting the impression that this was a retaliatory strike against Cole as well as a bid to seize both the power of the Green Ninja and a pawn for use against Garmadon.  The thought of what the Serpentine intended toward my family made my synthetic blood boil.

When facing the back of the place, the front entrance was situated on the left side of the rectangular shop, the ‘bait’ for which Lloyd had fallen was in the far right corner.  Following the passageways which ran from the left to the right, Cole had succumbed to the anesthesia gas after running blindly into the right wall of the building. 

He had probably collapsed no more than thirty-five feet from wherever the objects of his quest had also lost consciousness, yet several shifted shelving units and boxes still lay between us and the far right corner. 

Ducking down as the eleven Serpentine soldiers I had sighted began combing the expanse, I sifted through options for my next move.  Now that Cole was safely contained, I knew my next priority was to prevent a kidnapping.  The kidnapping of my beloved’s dear friend who was also the beloved of my own dearest friend.

Thoughts of Sofiya pushed their way to the forefront of my mind as I fingered her silver mantra talisman for compassion and protection which hung on a thin strip of leather around my neck.  I had not seen her in two days, although I had spoken to her several times, and I was missing her immensely.  

Facing the Serpentine troop alone had me wondering if and when I would be with her again, when I would be able to luxuriate in the sensation of holding her in my arms, having her warm breath and nimble fingers on my skin… 

Catching my psyche drifting, I immediately switched back to the issue at hand, the Serpentine threat and their fighting style, which was largely disorganized.  They currently had three objectives:  the abduction of the Green Ninja and Lloyd, the murder of Cole, and the issue of dealing with a skilled, riled, and able-bodied ninja.  I calculated that handling them methodically would be fairly unproblematic if their squad was split.

Being very reluctant to venture wielding the heavy, cumbersome, and sharp-bladed weapon that the earth ninja used with such practiced ease and proficiency, I elected to leave the scythe by his temporary repository before setting out to defend Arwyn and Lloyd.

In a crouch, I wound my way around the ends of aisles and through stacks of boxes, hoping I was getting closer to my sensei’s kin.   Negotiating a shelf end, I soon saw them being bundled up by two Fangpyres as a Venomari and two Constrictai uselessly supervised. 

Finally visualizing them, I understood then why our opponents seemed insusceptible to the sulphur and isoflurane.  Each of them was equipped with a full-face, self-contained breathing apparatus, indicating with more certainty that this was not a last-minute scheme.  Just how they had known we would be in this area, I had no time to ponder.

One of the insidious scarlet serpents caught my movement as I stood to confront them.  “NINJA!!”  The loitering three turned, no doubt surprised to see a conscious shinobi, and rushed to the attack, but were a split second too slow as I employed a trick I had taught Arwyn which she had successfully used on the _Bounty._  

Summoning my element, I insured that the trio was held fast to the floor by a mound of ice which bound their feet.  But, where Arwyn had tried to be merciful, or had not had the energy to do more, I built up the frozen mass to entirely cover them and let them await their fate when I returned.

The Fangpyre pair, now carrying their captives, were already making their escape toward the front of the building and yelling to their fellow legionnaires about my unanticipated wakefulness when I was able to devote my full attention to them. 

Cutting down the next aisle, I saw a Venomari advancing from the opposite end.  Looking back, another was in pursuit.  Not slowing down, I veered to the left, set a foot on a middle shelf, a hand on the top shelf, and hurdled the six-and-a-half foot unit, landing lightly on my feet in the adjacent aisle.

Two alert Serpentine appeared side by side before me, intent on hemming me in and impeding my progress toward my quarry.  They halted briefly when I hefted a shuriken and hurled it, clipping one in the temple.  The other snake flinched away as his partner froze from the top down, before he could fall to the floor.   

Glare on his full-face shield from the trifling amount of light in the place prevented me from seeing the second snake’s sneer, but I heard it in his jeer.  “You missed me, ninja.”

Flicking my wrist unperturbedly prompted the golden shuriken to arc in its flight, clipping the head of the disdainful reptile on its return as it heeded its master’s call.  I snatched the ricocheting missile from the air as the scaly adversary became an icy monument.  “Not on the rebound,” I noted with vindication to his now-deaf ears. 

For added insult, the icebound pillars were shoved to the floor, shattering them and their nuclei, as I impatiently vaulted between the chilly couple on my way to intercept the hostage-takers. 

Succeeding in making it to the end of the aisle unmolested, I spied the abductor carrying Lloyd as he exited onto the street.  It was too late to stop him, but the Serpentine bearing my newest teammate was only a few feet behind him and was an achievable goal. 

Making my stand at the end of the shelves, I reached into my leather flank pouch and exchanged my shuriken for a kyoketsu-shoge, grasping the hilt of the double-bladed knife in one hand, the attached cord and ring in the other. 

The ringed end of the cord twirled at my side three times before the ring was launched at the retreating back of the kidnapper, circling the snake’s neck and winding the thin rope around it twice.

A yank on the cord pulled it taut, bringing the Fangpyre to a sudden, uncomfortable stop as he hit the ground on his back, Arwyn’s weight on his chest making matters worse for him.  Stunned for only a second, he shoved her unconscious form off of his torso, jarring her protected head on the floor, dislodging her helmet, and sending it rolling to the side. 

Rising to his feet before I could get near enough to set hands on him, the infuriated serpent grasped the cord at his throat and unsheathed his sword with his free hand.  “You frickin’ _bastard_ ninja!  You die today!”

“You are incorrect, snake.  That is not on the program.”  It was time to engage mano a mano.

Doubling the cord several times, I reeled him in closer, an action he rejoined by lunging forward with his blade.  Trying to avoid his show of aggression, I took an expeditious pace back, but not far enough as his rapier sliced deeply through my arm wrap, staining the cloth with my alizarin-tinted life-fluids.  The sudden pain signal was disregarded as I deftly ensnared the blade of his sword with a loop of the nylon cord while completing my backward movement. 

A diaphragm-paralyzing side-kick to the abdomen sent my combatant to his knees.  As he went down, I saw that behind him, another Serpentine dashed in from somewhere to my left, lifted Arwyn from the floor, and spirited her away. 

Gritting my teeth in frustration, I swiftly wrapped another loop of the flexible cable around my nearest foe’s neck, pulling the entangled sword with it to rest tightly against his vulnerable throat.  Releasing the hilt of the double-bladed knife, I clasped the grip of his weapon and pulled, utilizing firm pressure to draw its blade through the major blood vessels supplying the brain of the reptile, thus hastily ending our contest.

Unable to avoid the spurting lifeblood that spattered my yellowed uniform and armor, I paid no heed to it and expertly loosened the cord around the expiring Serpentine’s neck to allow it to be pulled over the head, retrieving it for later use. 

His body crumpled to the floor, and I sprang over it, preparing to follow Arwyn’s captor, when thudding and bashing noises stopped me in my flight.  They emanated from my left as two Venomari labored with a mace and an axe to break the ice block in which Cole was cocooned. 

At times like this, I understood why my brothers cursed.      

My processor instantaneously began to calculate where the weakest point in the ice block may exist, the amount of force exerted by the warriors, the pounds of pressure being applied with each strike, the time it may take to shatter the frozen shield, whether I should put a stop to their efforts or pursue the kidnappers….

 _Screw it, it’s a no-brainer_ … A baseball pitch sent a shower of icy, foot-long, razor-sharp spikes flying at the offensive pair, impaling both through the head and neck multiple times, the force throwing them back against the same wall Cole had rammed.

My moment of hesitation in order to attend to preventing harm from coming to him at the expense of losing Arwyn would probably later have Cole arguing with my logic.  I whirled and ran out onto the sidewalk, looking left and right for any sign of Arwyn and her abductor. 

A trail of yellow footprints to the left led me to the next alley which held nothing but a dumpster.  The roar of a distant engine down a side street blocks away was my only indication of where they may have gone.  I considered following them on the Snowmobile, but knew I could not indefinitely leave Cole in the state of suspended animation in which he currently existed. 

_We will find you…_

Returning to the empty, and now-quiet, shop, I retrieved Arwyn’s fallen helmet, and then the Scythe of Quakes, using the latter to dispatch the group of serpents I had frozen previously.  I did not need them doing violence to us or anyone else later.

Taking a quick survey of the area for anything I may have overlooked earlier, I spotted the catalyst to this whole, untidy muddle.  A young cur of about twelve weeks with short, tan-and-white hair lay in the spot where he had been dropped by his rescuers. 

Gazing down sadly at the small, yellow-powdered body, I reflected on how the little innocent had been used and sacrificed in such a nefarious plan.  To my amazement, my requiem for the puppy was interrupted when I detected life.  The respiratory rate was greatly decreased, yet he still breathed! 

Scooping him up in my gloved hands, I straightaway brought the pup to the open door and placed his fragile body on the doorsill in the uncontaminated air, hoping it would help revive him and that he had not had a toxic dose of the gases.

Walking back to Cole, I thought of Sofiya and how she would appreciate my act of compassion, even as she would find my less-than-benevolent actions of the last few minutes thoroughly repugnant.  She would unquestionably remain ignorant of those.

Standing over Cole’s frigid shelter a moment later, I stared at it, suddenly feeling physically and mentally fatigued.  The reptilian-blood-sprinkled mass measured seven feet by two point five feet by three point five feet with a volume of sixty-one point two five cubic feet.  Including Cole, it weighed about three thousand five hundred twenty pounds. 

 _Well, hell.  I have most definitely screwed myself._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't be afraid to tell me if you like it! :)


	26. You Want Me To WHAT?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zane managed to save himself and Cole from the Serpentine ambush. Now he has to defrost Cole--with Kai's reluctant help.

****Zane's POV  
**

The iceberg was too heavy for me to consider moving alone and would take far too long to thaw. I would have to painstakingly carve him out of it to avoid injuring him, thereby worsening his developing hypothermia, and slowing the process of his recovery from the anesthesia.

Exhaling slowly and feeling I deserved a respite, I sat on the foot of the ice block and tapped in Jay’s call code on my comlink. He answered right away, his anxious voice crackling over the device’s miniscule speaker.

“We read you, Zane! Got you on three-way with Kai. What the hell’s up? You didn’t answer my call back to you, and neither did Cole or Arwyn, so we took off, and we’re on our way to Castor!”

Propping my elbows on my knees and gripping my temples with one hand, I related a synopsis of our predicament. There was nothing but silence from my brothers’ end when I had completed the tale. “Hello? Are you still there?”

“Ohmigod…,” was, surprisingly, Jay’s only initial comment, but Kai made up for it.

At first, he was enraged. _“Those frickin’ sons of bitches!”_ But then he barely stifled a guffaw. “Not that I don’t appreciate the gravity of this situation, since that is one, big, frickin’ mess you’re in, but considering the part where you made Cole into an icicle, I have this _awfully_ powerful urge to roll on the floor laughing!” He capitulated to some of the aforesaid laughter. “It’s gonna be _especially_ funny when you wake the big grizzly up from hibernation!”

“Yeah, he’s gonna be ten kinds of _pissed_ over that!” Jay put in. “Like he’ll need any _other_ reason to be upset when he learns Arwyn’s in the hands of the _Serpentine!”_

I squeezed my temples tighter, grimacing. “Thank you, Jay. I was completely unaware that that would be his reaction. However, I had no other viable options at the time.”

“Sorry. I’m sure you did what was best at the time, Frosty,” Kai slowed his giggling to make an attempt at sounding encouraging. “You always do.”

“Yeah, Cole’ll _totally_ understand.” Jay did not sound very convinced and changed the subject promptly. “We have you on the tracking monitor, and I’m receiving Arwyn’s signal. She’s moving north-northeast. We’ll meet you in Castor wherever you are.”

He paused a second. “Maybe you should wait until we get there before thawing Cole, so we can hold him off of you…”

I glanced down, seeing his masked features through the thick, frozen water. All of his life processes had been either slowed or stopped. Heart rate, four times a minute. Respirations, stopped. Blood pressure, forty systolic, twenty-five diastolic. Core body temperature, eighty-two point two degrees Fahrenheit/twenty-seven point nine degrees Celsius. His chances of a quick recuperation decreased exponentially with each passing hour.

“I do not think that will be necessary. It is very possible he will not be in any shape to chastise me much until well after you have both arrived.” I considered the effects of reviving from hypothermia. “I am also hoping I do not need your services, Jay, but come as quickly as you can.”

One of the complications could be a cardiac arrhythmia, especially ventricular fibrillation. On the other hand, Arwyn had told me during a discussion on surgical procedures that the younger and healthier the patient, the less chance of needing cardioversion with a defibrillator after coronary artery bypass where hypothermia was induced. Cole was only twenty-two years and ten months and hale and hearty. I was crossing my fingers.  

“Okay, will do! I’ll be with you in less than ten minutes, depending on where I can get on the ground. But _Kai’s_ ETA is almost an hour, and _he’s_ hauling ass!” Jay addressed his motorcycle-riding teammate with his gloating. “Still think your Blade Cycle is ‘all that’, hotshot?”

“Stick it, dim bulb!” Kai sniped. “At least I can say I’ve got something between _my_ legs! That’s more than _you_ can do.”

“Um, gentlemen?” Using the term loosely, I broke in to try to get my brothers back on track.

“Oh, right.” Jay straightened up first. “Anyway, let’s close this channel in case somebody’s messing with Arwyn’s comlink. We’ll use the numbers from the first time she had set on our alarm clock. I think everyone should recall _that,_ right?”

Terminating my communication with Jay and Kai, I sat for another minute while I regarded Cole’s still form. I was motivated to get him out of the ice and begin his recovery as soon as possible, yet I dreaded it at the same time.

In his mind, as the leader of our team, in essence the captain of the ship, the safety of Cole’s teammates took precedence over his no matter what. With the addition of Arwyn, this had nearly become an obsession for him.

No matter how much Jay and Kai approved of the decisions I had made during this ordeal, I knew with certitude that Cole was not going to appreciate that I had chosen to save his life—more than once—while allowing his beloved to be subjected to an uncertain fate. I knew if our roles were reversed, I would not.

Lifting Cole’s scythe from the floor, I made ready to begin the process of removing everything that was not Cole from the enormous chunk of ice, when, with utter amazement, I felt the weapon pulsate. The closer it got to its master, the higher the frequency of the vibrations, as though it knew and understood that he was debilitated and in need of its services.

Putting the blade to the ice was like applying a hot knife to butter. The easy work gave me time to think about a conversation Cole and I had had yesterday in Miyagi on the Saitos’ front porch after supper.

We were in ladderback chairs with rush seats, our legs stretched out before us, watching the sun race for the western horizon as Lloyd threw a couple of kunai at a tree in the front yard. Arwyn was taking her turn in the bathroom.

After sitting in comfortable silence for a time, Cole brought up an unforeseen subject. “You ever think about dying, Zane?”

With a questioning lift of a brow, I pulled my eyes away from the peach–lavender-and-orange sunset to confront his dark, brooding countenance. “It is _not_ a favorite topic, but it has crossed my mind, and I do not fear it.”

“Yeah, I’m kinda the same way,” he admitted with a tilt of his head. “But Arwyn’s different, and it’s hard for her to talk about it. She hasn’t been through the things we have. It’s something that kinda came up yesterday evening when we were in the glade.”

One corner of my lips curled upward. “On your _first date_.”

“Yeah, I know.” He rolled his eyes. “That was my fault. She said something that led me to say I would die before I’d let anything happen to her, and that sorta messed her up.” He stood and paced to the end of the porch. “I think she’s more scared of my death or someone else she loves dying than she is of her own. I feel the same way.”

“She has the heart of a compassionate warrior.”

“Well, I don’t want it to affect how she reacts in certain situations. I don’t want her giving up if I’m not there.” Cole crossed his arms over his fitted undershirt. “And I definitely don’t want any harm to come to her.”

“I understand.” Sofiya’s gentle features came to mind. “I may not have two months ago, but I do now.”

He smiled, nodding, before turning serious again and fixing me with an intent look. “You and I have targets on our backs, Z. You know that. I expect to get an ax buried between my shoulder blades every time we engage. I need to know something from you.”

“All that is necessary is for you to question.” I returned his stare with equal intensity.

“In the event that anything happens to me, like in battle, or an accident, or something…I need to know that you’ll watch over Arwyn for me. At least as long as she’d be with the team, and afterward, if possible.”

I was not certain I had understood his implication. “That is part of my job. And you know she has two other guardians…”

He shook his head, making his shaggy haircut swing a little. “That’s not what I mean. I mean take care of her as the woman I treasure, not as the ninja of prophecy.” The setting sun’s orange glow bathed his pensive face as he peered back at it. “Especially…if we have a kid.”

I nodded in awareness of his meaning. As always, he was thinking long-term, planning for whatever may lay ahead. “I understand, and I am extremely honored that you have asked me to do so. You know I would.” His creased forehead smoothed, and I rose to stand beside him. “And since we are discussing the issue, I would like to request the same of you, in regards to Sofiya, if anything were to befall me.”

“You got it, Snowflake.” He held his open hand up and grasped my wrist and thumb as I pressed my palm to his. “You didn’t even have to ask.”

Returning to the present, as the last of the ice was scraped from my dear brother’s eerily inert body, I realized I would have to admit that, with him incapacitated, I had opted to do other than that which he would have had me do. Perhaps I could use the excuse that I had saved his hide so that he could take care of her himself. It seemed logical. Yet, I still felt that I had failed them.

A minute later, Jay called to me from the doorway. “Hey, Zane! What smells like a fart in here? And is this the little guy responsible for hoodwinking Lloyd?” In his arms, he held the wakeful, but woozy, pup whose head was still wobbly. At least we had one positive outcome.

“The answers would be ‘sulphur’ and ‘yes’.” I motioned him over and gave him a summary of the present situation. “Cole’s heart rate is slowly increasing, and he is taking a few slow breaths. He is in normal sinus rhythm at the moment, but stand by with a few joules in case he develops an arrhythmia. I want to monitor him a moment before we transfer him to his father’s home. We will warm him there.”

I had already removed Cole’s mask and hooded helmet as soon as I had carved the ice away from his head. “Yikes,” Jay grimaced as he gaped at him. “He looks like death not yet warmed over.”

“Bearing in mind that he has just spent the last half hour encased in ice and is severely hypothermic, that is to be expected,” I informed him crossly as I scanned our leader’s vital signs.

Knowing he had hit a nerve, Jay winced as he scratched the puppy’s ear. “Ooh, sorry.”

I had to admit, however, that he was right. Cole was a very handsome man, but at this moment, he was undeniably not looking well. His tanned, olive complexion was paler with a bluish cast. His closed, bruised-looking eyes were puffy from the irritating sulphur, his lips dusky. I was grateful Arwyn could not see him, for the sight would have broken her heart.

Not wanting to wait any longer before starting the warming process, with Jay’s help, I loaded Cole on the Snowmobile in front of me and was soon en route to the Montanaro home, thankful it was a short ride. Cole was heavier than he looked when he was unconscious. Jay followed with the little dog tucked into his jacket.

Lou greeted us with astonishment and near-panic upon seeing his stricken son, but proved himself to be very beneficial when I began giving orders for help with the removal of Cole’s gear and clothing, and the preparation of a hot bath.

When things became more stable, as we strived to maintain the water temperature, Cole’s father took a good look at me in my yellowed and bloodied uniform. “I think maybe you should clean up a little, too, and let me wash that. I have clothes you can wear until yours are cleaned.”

Thanking him, I removed my armor and torn jacket as Lou went to acquire garments for me. I was standing in my mostly-white undershirt and soiled gi pants when he returned with a fresh set of clothing and a first-aid kit.

“’I’ll take care of that wound on your arm, too, while we—”  He stopped, perplexed when he saw no laceration, only the smear of my blood.

Rather than explain to him that there was more to me than met the eye, and that my father had apparently been able to manufacture skin that sealed and regenerated itself to an extent, leaving just a faint mark, I simply took the clothing he offered. “Not to worry. A snake may have slashed my jacket, but it was _his_ blood that was spilled in return.”

He accepted that mutely and left me to clean up and change, going to the kitchen to set kettles and pots filled with water to warm on the stove. We had quickly emptied the water heater, which was slow to reheat, and Cole’s temperature was still no higher than eighty-seven degrees Fahrenheit.

I deliberated over what else could be done. Presenting Cole at the hospital would result in a delay in getting our rescue mission started and being subjected to many prying questions. I felt we could take care of him here, but one essential component had not yet arrived.

 _“You want me to **WHAT**?!” _ Kai had entered the house only three minutes after Jay, Lou, and I had removed Cole from the tub, dried him, and settled him in his twin bed in his old room. The Spinjitzu master now lay under several quilts, covered up to his chin, while his father sat beside him, slowly stroking his bangs from his forehead with an expression of deep and loving concern.

As difficult as it was, I patiently updated the Master of Fire on Cole’s condition and treatment. “We must increase his core body temperature as soon as possible. We have already tried immersing him in warm water, but there is not enough of it for long enough to warm him adequately. As a result, he is still unconscious, and his vital signs are still in the critical range.”

I reiterated what had elicited his initial outburst. “I need you to enter the bed with him and produce enough heat with your element to warm him without burning him. Or the linens.”

Through clenched teeth, Kai spat, “He wouldn’t _be_ like this if you hadn’t _frozen_ him!”

My gaze hardened like stone as I leveled it on my hot-blooded brother and spoke firmly and evenly, “You are correct. Instead, our leader would have been slaughtered in cold blood by the Serpentine as he lay anesthetized and defenseless on the trash-strewn, concrete floor of an abandoned building.”

Pausing, in my peripheral vision, I noted Lou’s shocked reaction to my description while Kai continued to frown at me. “It was the only way I thought I could safeguard him and still fight nearly a dozen Serpentine. Alone. _And_ I failed to prevent Arwyn and Lloyd’s capture.”

A moment of silence followed before Jay broke the tension. Smacking me on the shoulder, he proclaimed energetically, “You did what you had to do to protect Cole, and you did a damn fine job of it! I know he’ll appreciate that—eventually.”

He then jumped to Kai, gripping both of his friend’s shoulders as he gave him his pep talk. “Now it’s time for _you_ to do _your_ part and be the hero! All you have to do is cuddle with him for a while! C’mon! It’s no big deal!”

Kai pushed him away in annoyance. “No big deal for _you! You’re_ not being asked to crawl into the sack with your buddy!” He stopped and looked around at everyone else in the small room looking at him like he was the most selfish boor in Ninjago.

His stubborn resolve crumbled quickly. “Okay, _fine!_ ” Flinging up his hands, he stripped himself of all armor and accessories until he was down to his gi. “But I’m _not_ taking off my gi!”

The fire ninja lifted the covers to get into the bed beside Cole and instantly recoiled. “Oh, _man!_ _He’s_ **_naked!_** Why isn’t he wearing underwear or something, _anything?!”_

Cole’s father came to his defense without delay. “Everything’s in the wash! He was covered with powdered sulphur, and his clothes were soaking wet!”

“Besides, skin-to-skin contact is optimal for transference of body heat.” I placidly raised an eyebrow and tried not to smile, knowing my next words were not going to be well-received, but delighting in that fact, anyway. “Therefore, it would be best if you were also in the same state of undress.”

 _“WHAT?!_ _No way!”_ Kai looked like an umpire calling a runner safe at home.

Pointing at the single bed, Jay had finally had enough of Kai’s exaggerated indignity. “Kai, quit being such a _pussy_ about this and get into that bed to warm Cole up _, for God’s sake!”_

The ninja in red glared at the one in blue and testily jerked off his jacket and shirt. “Brothers should _not_ be doing this with each other!” Feet apart, he stood by the bed, bare from the waist up, and pointed irately at Jay. “And I’m _not_ taking off my pants!”

Jay crossed his arms with a smug grin as Kai, with his eyes closed tightly, tentatively crawled under the blankets and lay stiffly on the edge of the bed, almost a foot from Cole.

Sighing, I cocked my head to the side. “Kai, really. You will need to get closer to adequately warm him.”

He opened his eyes and cast a sidelong glance at his suffering teammate. “Don’t you think I’m close _enough?_ My heat can reach him! What do you want me to do? _Spoon_ with him?”

I gave him a look that said he had just stated the obvious. “Whatever position grants the most direct body contact. Ideally, your warmth should be in contact with his neck, chest wall, and groin.”

You would have sworn I had lit a stick of dynamite nearby. _“ **OMG**!! Are you **serious**?! **No way** am I touching his **groin!** ”_

 _“KAI TANAKA!”_ Taking a step forward, Jay nearly crackled with exasperation.

 _“_ Okay, _okay_ , I’ll spoon! But I’m _not_ getting in the front! I don’t really want to be in the back, either. Hell, neither way is right!” Pushing the quilts to the side, uncovering them both to the waist, he reached across to Cole’s arm to push him onto his side. “Damn, he’s _freezing!_ ”

“Duh,” was my only response as Lou and I assisted him in repositioning Cole laterally, causing Kai to wince again when he got a glimpse of the nude ninja leader’s backside.

Reveling in Kai’s discomfort, Jay teased, “Just get behind him, and hug him, already! Pretend you’re with Renata!”

Scowling, Kai shot him some really ugly eyes. “That is _so_ not right, Jay!” Albeit reluctantly, he at last settled in with his chest against Cole’s back as I pulled the edge of the bed linens up over them. “Today I’m really glad we don’t have cameras on our comlinks. I wouldn’t want anyone taking pictures of _this!”_

Quelling a smile, I clamped my lips together silently as I saved and backed up a couple of jpgs I had taken before their naked torsos were covered. They might prove useful as blackmail in the future.

Trying to be somewhat encouraging, Jay grinned, “Think about how impressed the girls will be when they hear about your selfless act! Chicks _love_ this sort of thing! Arwyn’ll be especially grateful.”

Kai’s head popped up from the pillow next to Cole’s as he growled lowly, “Nobody breathes a _word_ about this to anyone outside of this room, _understand?!_ This stays _here!”_

I may have been the only one in the room who caught Jay’s sly look and whisper. “That’s what _you_ think…”

“But, you know,” Kai remarked as he made himself comfortable next to Cole, “This wouldn’t be such a big issue with me if you had frozen Arwyn instead…”

Jay flashed him a warning look. “Suppose Renata and Cole heard that remark…”

“I’m just _saying!_ And you _know_ you’d feel the same way, so don’t go _judging_ me! How’d _you_ like to be in this bed right now?”

“There’s not enough room,” Jay said dryly.

As Kai called up the heat, Jay, Lou, and I stood around in awkward silence for a minute, Jay’s grinning causing me to recall a figure of speech I had heard Arwyn use. I believe it was ‘like a jackass eating briars’.

Kai did not tolerate the gawking for long. “Look, I can’t do this with an audience! Couldn’t you people, especially _Jay_ , find something else to do? Except you, Zane! I need you to stay and be a witness that _nothing happened_ in here between Cole and me!”

Jay and Lou dutifully left the room, followed by the little dog Lou had decided to keep and named A-Cappella. Watching them go, Kai added crankily, “And, for the record, I am _not_ enjoying this!”

I rolled my eyes. “That has been duly noted. Several times.”

With the room cleared and quiet, I settled into a small, upholstered chair by the window on Cole’s side of the bed. From there, I was better able to monitor his cardiac rate and rhythm. Kai was even able to relax somewhat and concentrated on warming our stalwart friend without scorching the sheets.  

Progress seemed slow, but after twenty minutes, Cole began shivering, which was a good sign. This was an indication that his core temperature had reached a point where his neurological and muscular systems were attempting to take over generation and maintenance of normal body temperature.

I rose and placed a hand on Cole’s neck, catching Kai napping. His head jerked a little when I cleared my throat, waking him. Blinking rapidly, he mumbled, “I was just resting my eyes.”

“Um, hmm.” I smiled indulgently. “Cole’s core temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and respirations are all improving. Your efforts are greatly benefitting him.”

“Hmmph,” was his only response.

Taking up my watch in the chair again, I did not have much longer to wait before Cole’s shivering increased a few minutes later, and he began to moan and murmur incoherently between chattering teeth, Arwyn’s name being the only comprehensible sound. Kai poked his head up to look hopefully at me over Cole’s shoulder, dropping it dejectedly when I held up a hand for him to remain patient.

The human heating pad was atypically tolerant and cooperative until Cole’s reddened eyelids parted. “A-Arwyn?” He groggily turned his head toward Kai and leaned back, reaching behind him under the blankets to grope the ninja of fire’s hip.

Kai’s reaction was swift as he pulled away from Cole, distancing himself from his grasp. “Oh- _kay!_ Enough of _that!”_

Bleary-eyed and shivering, Cole extended his arm once again. “W-Wha-? A-Arwyn?” It was more than Kai could abide.

“No! _Not_ Arwyn! Not even _close!”_ Kai corrected him hastily and shoved back the quilts, striving to exit the bed.

I undertook to postpone his escape, coming to my feet and reaching across the bed to clasp his shoulder. “Kai, please remain until his core has attained at least ninety-eight degrees. It is still only ninety-seven point three.”

“But, he’s _awake!”_ he argued, gesturing to our patient who now lay on his back, squinting in the light as his body quaked.

“And he is still cold,” I pointed out. “It will only take a few more minutes.”

Looking around the room, Cole aimed his first question at me. “A-Are we back at D-Dad’s house?” Groping around under the blankets, he suddenly stopped, his eyes opening wider. After feeling over his abdomen and pelvis a time or two, he grasped the top edge of the bed linens and peeked under them, evaluating his birthday suit.

Pushing himself up onto his elbows with great effort, he looked a little disoriented. “Wh-Where are m-my clothes?” I opened my mouth to explain, when he spotted Kai still sitting on the edge of the bed without his shirt, and his expression became stupefied.

“K-Kai? Wh-Why am I in b-bed with you? And y-you’re half-n-naked…And _I’m_ n-naked…” A sense of realization and apprehension shone in his face as he traded looks quickly from me to Kai and back.

Bolting up from the mattress to stand at the bedside, Kai defensively pointed a finger at Cole. “It’s _not_ what you’re thinking! I’m just warming you up!”

“B-But, I’m n-naked…” Cole repeated weakly, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Shaking the same insistent finger at me, Kai cried, “Because _he_ had to freeze you, _and_ he’s been here with us the _whole time!”_

Facing Kai across the bed, I folded my arms over my chest and regarded Cole seriously. I honestly could not stop some devious part of me from saying what came out of my mouth next. “Actually, I only just reentered the room. Kai asked me to leave you two alone over half an hour ago.”

Cole’s countenance took on a horrified appearance as he gaped at Kai and pulled the bedclothes up to his chin.

His jaw dropping open, Kai sucked in enough breath through his wide-open mouth to deplete the room of all of its oxygen. “Zane Julien! _You’re a big-ass, stinkin’ LIAR!”_

It took a lot not to smirk.

Shuddering with revulsion, Cole looked back and forth between Kai and me, asking timidly, “Wh-What did you d-do, Kai? Ha-have I been…vi-violated…in any way?”

“ **NO!!** He's _lying!”_ Kai shouted right away, shaking his head forcefully and imploring to me, _“Tell him, Zane!”_

I considered how long I could get away with this and what the consequences might be. After a brief pause, I decided it would be worth it to take my chances and shrugged, “I am not certain _what_ Kai may have done after I left.” I might have gone too far with that one.

 ** _“ZANE!!”_** Kai’s face was a mixture of emotions. ‘Angry, horror-struck disbelief’ was the best way to describe what was plastered on it as he bounded up onto the mattress and soared over Cole to tackle me against the wall.

Sliding down onto the floor as we grappled, my desperate and irate brother shook me by the collar of the borrowed shirt I wore as I gasped for breath, laughing harder than I had in quite a while. _“Tell him!”_

“HEY, HEY, HEY!!” I was pulled to my feet by Kai as he was pulled backward off of me by Jay who had a determined grip on his waistband. “What the _hell_ is _wrong_ with you two?!”

Still clutching my shirt, Kai demanded with a growl, _“Tell. Him.”_

Catching my breath, I glanced over at Cole and choked out, “I-I am only…I think the term is…’pulling your leg’!”

Satisfied that an assault and battery was not being perpetrated, Jay released Kai who released me with a grunt and hiked up his pants before walking around the bed to retrieve his shirt and jacket. “For the _ice_ ninja, that was _not_ cool, Zane!”

Cole closed his irritated eyes and flopped down onto his pillow with an audible exhalation. “Hhaaa…Zane…”

Wiping my eyes, I stepped over to him, grinning. “Yes?”

“Don’t d-do that. E-Ever again.”

Right after that, what I had been dreading most occurred, and I readied myself for the clashing of the titanic continental plates which was certain to follow.

With sudden awareness, the earth ninja pushed the covers off of his chest and sat bolt-upright in the bed, peering frantically around the room and at the door. “Arwyn! Why _am_ I n-naked?! Where’s Arwyn?! L-Lloyd? We were ambushed by S-Serpentine! _What the frick happened?! Where **is** she?!”_

“Well, I guess he’s warming up on his own _now!”_ quipped Kai as he donned his undershirt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hell-o out there! Shout out anyone?


	27. Reality Bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the help of his brothers, Cole is revived and faces the cold, harsh reality of Arwyn and Lloyd's kidnapping. It's time to plan a rescue mission.

****Cole’s POV**

My eyes stung, I was still disoriented _a lot_ , shaking with cold, and my head spun when I sat straight up, but a chaotic rush of memories had come flooding back to me. Arwyn and Lloyd running into this crummy building, clouds of powder, hissing everywhere, orders to capture my love and her little cousin, slamming against the wall, and then dreamless oblivion.

Pressing my temples hard with my fingertips, I tried to stop the whirling vortex as I stared up at Zane, repeating anxiously, “W-Where _is_ she?!”

Zane placed a hand on my shoulder, saying soothingly, “Slowly, Cole. One thing at a time.” After taking a deep breath, he looked me straight in the eye and said in a measured tone, “I encased you in a slab of ice to protect you and defended us from the Serpentine. Nevertheless, they were successful in kidnapping Arwyn and Lloyd. I could not stop them.”

I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard, blurting out, “ _YOU **WHAT**?!”_ Then something else came back to me, and my anxiety was replaced by anger. “ _I **ordered** you to l-leave me, to get her **out!** Why d-didn’t you?! **WHY?!”**_

Flinging back the bedcovers in a rage, I pulled a quivering leg over the edge of the bed, struggling unsteadily to get out of it, struggling to simply get my stupid, stiff muscles to respond to my demands.

I heard Kai’s short gasp to my right, saw Jay behind Zane hastily avert his eyes from my nudity. I didn’t give a damn what they saw. I wanted up and out, I wanted control.

Irritation shone on his face as Zane stopped me with his hands on my shoulders, shoving me easily back onto the mattress, while Kai quickly covered me up to the waist with the quilts. My father had appeared in the doorway, taking in the whole scene with an anxious look.

“Get your h-hands _off_ of me!” With only half my usual strength, I tried to block Zane’s wrists away with my own, while fear for Arwyn and fury at him irrationally rose to the surface of my consciousness.

“Valerio Cole! Stop this!” I heard my father’s sharp reprimand to me as he stood gripping the foot of the bed, his heavy brows leveled, but I didn’t care.

I knew something was clouding my judgment, that I wasn’t thinking clearly, but I only stormed ahead like a crazed bull. Again I started to fight my way out of the restrictive bedding. “I have to g-get up! We have to get started l-looking for them!”

Pissing me off even more, Zane pushed me back down once again. “You are not yet in a condition to do anything—”

That was it. The filter between my brain and my mouth totally malfunctioned as all the frustration, helplessness, and resentment welled up and spilled over.

 _“It’s because of **you** , because of what you **did** to me! Why didn’t you frickin’ **listen** to me and do what I frickin’ **told** you to do?! You were supposed to leave **me** and protect **her**!!” _ I pounded my fist against my chest. _“ **I’M** THE LEADER! YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT **I** FRICKIN’ SAY!”_

I was screaming up at Zane, but he didn’t back down. His anger matched my own as he met me head-on, leaning in closely and shaking a finger in my face. “ ** _You_** _were not in charge at that point, **I was ,** and I could not let you **die,** you **idiot!**_ _THEY WERE ORDERING YOUR **ASSASSINATION!**_ _They were **not** planning to hurt Arwyn or Lloyd! I had to make a **choice,** and I **damn well** was **not** going to turn my back on you and have you **murdered**!”_

He took a calmer breath, staying in my face. “You say you are so concerned with Arwyn’s happiness and keeping _her_ from harm! Just how happy do you think it would have made her had I chosen to neglect _your_ safety and sacrificed you to those _butchers?!”_

I felt like he’d just slapped me, knocking some sense into me. She’d already told me how she’d feel if something happened to me.

Straightening, he reached for the amulet hanging outside of his shirt, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger, returning to his usual mild demeanor. “I can better deal with your _temporary_ wrath and yelling than her _permanent_ grief and tears.”

Kai’s hand rested on my shoulder. “I can’t believe I’m the one saying this, but you’ve gotta get a grip, Cole. Zane’s right. There’s a time to lay down your life for your friends and loved ones, and a time to live to fight for them later. I know you know the difference.”

My head swam as I closed my eyes and sat cross-legged in the bed, still trembling, now more violently. Resting my elbows on my knees, I lowered my head into my hands, clenching my fingers tightly in my hair. Why did I do that to him? What was wrong with me?

As cold as I was, I felt a sweat break out over my exposed body as my spasming abdominal muscles contracted even harder. “C-Could everyone p-please l-leave? I th-think I’m going to b-be s-sick.”

Like the family they were, they ignored my request. A moment later, my father was pulling the top quilt from the bed and wiping my face with a wet cloth as Zane’s cooling hands on my neck and forehead helped relieve the remaining nausea.

“This is simply a side effect of the anesthesia and hypothermia.” Zane eased me back onto my pillow. “Take slow, deep breaths and try to relax. Mr. Montanaro, perhaps you could make some ginger tea for him when you are able.”

“Of course,” my dad answered, putting a hand on my upper chest to pat me before I heard him leaving the room.

After taking a few shaky breaths, I opened my eyes a crack, surprised to see Zane still at my side, although I could still feel his hand on my forehead. “S-Sorry about that, Z.”

He nodded once, his eyes gentle. “It is forgotten, my brother.”

Closing my eyes against the sting once again, I whispered, “Wh-What did they d-do to her? D-Do you th-think they’re okay? …Please, t-tell me everything.”

“When you have recuperated more and can better understand. Just know that Jay is tracking them on his monitor. We will rescue them soon, when you are able to lead us again.”

* * *

 _Arwyn_ …Dressed in her uniform, with her helmet on, but without her mask, she smiled contentedly at me, caressing my cheek as she whispered something I couldn’t make out. Yearning so badly for her, I put out my arms to draw the woman I adored to me, but she shook her head and pushed away. Her cheery smile faded to a sad frown, her evergreen uniform suddenly turned yellow, almost golden in color.

Confused, I blinked, finding myself facing a Hypnobrai warrior from out of nowhere, his red eyes boring into mine. Reaching for my scythe, my hand grasped nothing but air. Shocked, I grabbed for a katana, a tanto, a kunai. I had nothing. I was unarmed. Crouching into a battle stance, I realized I wasn’t even wearing my uniform. No gi, no armor, no shirt, nothing but my pajama pants.

Hearing Arwyn’s cry for help from behind the Serpentine, my heart raced as I pounced for him, ready to tear him apart with my bare hands to get to her. With a disinterested swipe of his arm, the Hypnobrai demon cast me to the side when I got within his reach, as if I were a frail and impotent child.

Stunned, I lay on my back as I watched the snake take her, as she struggled and screamed my name. I tried to rise, but found myself restrained, my wrists pinned to the ground. No matter how hard I fought, kicked, and pulled, I could only watch them disappear.

“Arwyn!” I squeezed my eyes shut and yelled louder for her. “ARWYN!”

Opening my eyes, I was sitting up in my old bed at Dad’s house. The shadows slanted at a different angle. The room was empty and so were my arms. Feeling the bed beside me was useless. I was alone. Arwyn was gone. Kidnapped.

_A dream…Oh, God, where is she?_

I dropped my face into my hands for a few breaths, then rubbed hard, pushing my hair back with a sigh.

My shivering had stopped at last, and my head wasn’t spinning as I sat there. Two plusses, but how much time had I wasted sleeping when we could have been out looking for Arwyn and Lloyd?

I spied my clothing draped over the chair by the bed. My cleaned armor, helmet, weapons, and boots lay on the floor nearby. Sliding gingerly out of the bed, I made it to my feet without passing out and began dressing.

Pushing aside the curtains once I had pants on, I saw Jay trotting through the garden with a little white-and-tan puppy on his heels. I frowned a little. _Dad doesn’t have a dog…_

“Cole! I thought I heard you call! How are you feeling?” My father was walking into the room with a delighted smile when I turned away from the window.

“Better.” I smiled back. “Not as shaky. Eyes and throat’re a little scratchy. Everything else seems okay.”

“Thank goodness! You had me terribly worried when Zane and Jay first brought you in! You looked like something the _cat_ had dragged home!” He laughed nervously, and I could see the residual concern behind his eyes. “If you need any of your toiletries, Zane also salvaged your overnight bags.”

He pointed to the dusty duffels on the floor at the foot of the bed. I froze for a moment. Resting on top of one of them was Arwyn’s hooded helmet.

Walking quickly to the bags, I retrieved her headgear and held it with both hands, gazing at the sulphur-coated frontal crest. My heart ached with fear, anger, and guilt. Here I was safe and surrounded by family, while Arwyn and Lloyd could be hurt and were in the hands of the Serpentine who were doing who knew what to them.

“Oops, I forgot to clean this one! I’ll just take care of that right now.” Dad started to pull the helmet from my grasp, but I held on, my finger pressing against something small and rigid in the side of the hood.

Separating the folds of the fabric, I uncovered something unexpected, and a frisson coursed down one side of my body. Snagged in the material was one of Arwyn’s ruby-and-amethyst earrings.

Staring at it in my palm after prying it from the threads, it took all the strength I had in me not to collapse to my knees crying like I had when I’d realized my mother did not wish to return to us. I guess my dad saw that.

With a comforting hand on my forearm, he tried to reassure me as he steadily pulled the helmet from my hand. “She’ll be alright. You’ll get them back soon. I know you will.” He stood by me uneasily for a few heartbeats before turning toward the door and heading out. “Besides, she gives me the impression that she’s not exactly defenseless. Now finish dressing, and meet your friends in the kitchen. They’re having _merende_.”

As I watched him walk out, I wrapped my fingers around the gemstones that were supposed to have signified protection, love, and courage. It came to mind that I had failed her in that first one.  

I hopelessly sank down onto the edge of the mattress, and, with my bent elbow on my knee, thumped my forehead down onto my empty palm, curling my fingers in my hair and pulling until the pain made my eyes water and my teeth grind.

What good was I to her? I hadn’t protected her. I couldn’t keep her from getting kidnapped. I wasn’t up to par yet strength-wise, feeling feeble and nauseated. I didn’t even have a rescue plan together. And here I sat.

Where was Arwyn at this moment? Oh, God, what had the Serpentine done to her? Was she even still alive?

When would I see her again, hold her in my arms? Before she came to me, I had been a lonely soul. I had only just begun to really feel alive again these last few weeks. I had only truly been happy these last few days. And now she had been taken away from me. For how long?

_My dearest heart, I’m so sorry… If it takes a thousand years, I’ll get you back… I refuse to think that I won’t._

Other, less-important thoughts soon pushed their way to the front of the crowd of worries, making me more downhearted. _Her parents are waiting for her to call them when we get to the_ Bounty _, to let them know she got back okay._ Her call to them was already about two hours late.

Then there were her father’s parting words to me. _I’m trusting you_. I had failed them, too. I was going to have to bite the bullet and contact them at some point.

And _then_ there was _Sensei…_

I felt like hurling again by the time Zane walked into the room. “Your father told me you were up. I thought we would start you off with some ginger tea and see how well you can tolerate that.” He held the steaming cup within my field of vision, not waiting for me to lift my head first.

I took the mug he presented without looking up at him. “Thanks.”

The ninja of ice sat on the chair a couple of feet from me, leaning back and resting his right ankle on the opposite knee, crossing his arms over his chest. “He also said you found Arwyn’s earring in her helmet. I suppose it was pulled from her earlobe when I jerked her first abductor to the ground, and her head hit the floor.”

I looked up at him fearfully. “Was she hurt?”

He shook his head. “I do not believe so. But I was unable to get to her before another snake did. I…had my hands full.”

Staring blankly into the cup of spicy-smelling tea, I entreated him, “Tell me everything.”

By the time he was done, I had finished the tea and was feeling like a complete heel for yelling at him earlier. I had to apologize again. “I’m sorry for laying into you, Zane. You did everything you could. You did everything I would have done for _you_.”

He nodded back in acceptance. “I am regretful that I had to do what I did to you and that I could not do more for Arwyn and Lloyd. I would consider us even.”

I tried to smile at that.

He zeroed in on me. “Correct me if I am wrong, but, knowing you the way I do, you are at this moment feeling responsible for this whole thing and guilty as hell that they could be suffering.”

I looked away glumly and didn’t answer him.

“Well, stop it. Although obviously planned to some extent, I believe this attack was a serendipitous opportunity for the snakes and could not have been foreseen or avoided in any way. There was no way for you to fight the effects of the chemicals, and you could do nothing about the state you found yourself in afterwards.” He paused in his lecture. “Especially once I took over.”

I continued to hang my head.

He sighed heavily. “Were she here, what would Arwyn be liable to do or say to you right now?” His sudden question had me looking up at him thoughtfully.

I recalled times she had tried to get information from me or pull me out of a funk. “Probably punch me, tell me to suck it up, then smother me with kisses.” _Soft and warm_ … The idea finally made me smile.

“You can _forget_ about me smothering you with kisses, but I _am_ about to punch you, if that will help.” Sitting forward, he placed both feet on the floor. “Now suck it up. Get your shirt, and come to the kitchen with me.”

He was right. My spirits lifted somewhat as I stood with a grin and picked up my padded-leather vest. Tucking the earring into the little pocket I had sewn behind the left breastplate, I felt past my metal ID tag and pulled out the small photo I kept there.

Now a little damp, it was one of Arwyn with Sofiya which had slipped from a photo album when we were packing things at Arwyn’s apartment.  Ihad found it on the floor after she’d left with the box and had felt a little guilty as I slipped it into my vest, but looking at it over the past few weeks had gotten me through some really low moods and a lot of restless nights.

I extended it to Zane for him to take a look. He smiled wistfully at the two glowing women. “Sofiya has a framed copy of the same photo in her living room. They were spending a weekend on Arcadia Island.” Maybe we could all do that in the near future.

_I would love to see her in a bikini…_

Returning the vest to its spot next to my armor, I placed the photo on top of it to dry and grabbed my shirt from the back of the chair. Pulling it on, I laughingly brought up a random question. “You _were_ in the room with Kai and me the entire time he was warming me, right?”

Standing and walking toward the door, he answered over his shoulder, “Of course…Although, I _was_ quite exhausted. I may have dozed off for a few minutes.”

“Zane, I’m gonna turn _off_ that funny switch.” I threatened as I followed him out.

“It’s not on.”

In the kitchen, we found Kai at the table having tea and munching chocolate _biscotti_ and _prosciutto_ -with-mozzarella-and-peppers _panini_. Jay sat on the floor and shared his snack with the puppy I had seen earlier. Through the window, I could see my father in the garden, dead-heading spent rose blossoms.

“Well, if it isn’t Sleeping Beauty!” Kai ragged me with a leer as I walked around the table to an empty seat. “Or, should I say…Vah-LEH-rio!” He rolled the last syllable expertly.

My eye twitched at the sound of my name, and I wondered for a split second how he had found out, then vaguely remembered my dad yelling at me when I was losing it.

_Oh, have I got something for you…_

Barely breaking stride, I passed up my chair and continued to Kai, leaning over and hugging him around the neck and chest from behind.

Although he resisted, I held him tightly so he couldn’t get away, running my open hands over his upper body and saying breathily in his ear, “Thanks for the _hot_ time in bed, stud! I’ll _always_ remember it! Maybe we could do it again soon!” You’d have thought I was sticking him with a sizzling poker.

Wrenching himself out of my grasp, he bounced out of his seat with a shudder, rubbing his ear and neck vigorously. “Ah, _man_! Don’t _do_ that! Ya do a brother a solid, and he pays you back like _this?”_

“Hey, tit for tat,” I laughed, settling in a chair and pulling the plates of _biscotti_ and _panini_ closer to me.

“If you _had_ ‘em, it wouldn’t be a problem,” he stated, taking his seat again as Jay rolled on the floor, and Zane grinned in the next chair.

Chuckling, I bit into a _biscotto_ , then focused on Jay and his friend on the floor. “What’s with the dog?”

He patted the pup’s back fondly as it lapped up crumbs from the tile. “This is A-Cappella, the puppy Lloyd—” Stopping suddenly, he looked uncertainly at Zane.

Jolted back to the issue at hand, I swallowed the bite of sweet cookie with difficulty.   I had been reaching for a _panino,_ also, but lost what little appetite I had and withdrew my hand.

Zane saw me while he refilled my mug. “Eat, Cole. You need to build up your strength if you want to get them back.”

Knowing he was right, and that feeling guilty wasn’t gonna get Arwyn and Lloyd rescued, I forced myself to take a couple of _panini_ from the plate and started planning our rescue mission. “Let’s hear what you’ve got, Jay.” I knew he’d probably already begun gathering information for me.

Living up to my expectations, Jay pulled a device from his jacket, and excitedly began tapping on the handheld tracking monitor he had put together several months ago. “I have Arwyn on our radar.” He held it up so I could see her blip on the map.

My off-the-wall brother began rattling off what he knew. “She’s been moving northeast since I located her not long after Zane called with the SOS. That was almost three and a half hours ago. After traveling for three hours, she stopped, so they must be at their destination now. They’re just inside the Cairns and Fortresses region. It’s—“

“I know that area!” The familiar name brought me to attention abruptly. “It was one of the first places I traveled after I left the Academy! It’s craggy, rocky, and rugged, some canyons, pretty barren otherwise. There’re a few castle ruins scattered all over.”

Putting away his tracking monitor, Jay went back to playing with A-Cappella. “Yeah, most of them are situated on the Plain of Desolate Castles. That’s what Luciano and I were able to learn after looking up information on the area.” He looked up at the silence that followed. “What?”

Kai had the same questioning frown that I did. “You call Cole’s dad ’Luciano’?”

“Well, that’s his name.” Jay lifted A-Cappella and held him close to his face, rubbing noses with the canine, saying in a high-pitched voice with a crappy, Italian accent, “Luciano. Loo-CHAH-no! Biscotti! Valerio! A cappella! It’s fun to speak Italian!”

“Jay…” Zane shook his head when the fleet-footed ninja turned to him, bringing him back down to Ninjago. I was deadpan.

“Oh, right.” Placing A-Cappella back on his feet, he assumed a more mature air. “Anyway, we’re thinking the Serpentine may be using one of the old castles as a base camp in that area. Zooming in on satellite maps and comparing coordinates, it looks like they may have taken up residence in an out-of-the-way one called the Castle of Poisoned Dreams.”

“Wow. Sounds like a really cheery place,” Kai remarked as he talked around his bite of _panino_.

I could just imagine. Attempting to beat down what I hoped were unfounded fears for Arwyn, I sipped my tea in the calmest manner in which I was able. It was hard not to dwell on the fact that Arwyn and Lloyd were probably being held in uncomfortable conditions in castle ruins that were unstable and had no electricity, no running water, no heat, barely enough walls to stop the wind, no food, rats, bugs, snakes…

“A castle, huh? Those things were really tough to get into, weren’t they?” he asked as he continued to chew.

“These shouldn’t be now,” I informed him. “They’re all centuries old and falling apart. I spent several nights camped out in some of them. Not much more than walls and rubble, although a handful are still mostly intact. I don’t know about this one, though.”

“I suspect it is most likely the best fortified of all of them,” said Zane as he poured tea into his cup. “But it should not be a challenge for us.”

Jay nodded, then jumped to something else. “Just to bring you up to speed, Cole, I finally got that part for the boosters two days ago. Yesterday, Nya and I worked on the repairs—”

“Hey, don’t forget I helped, too!” Kai interrupted him huffily.

“What? You held a flashlight for five minutes!” Jay dismissed him with a scowl as he fed the puppy more _biscotto_. “That hardly counts as helping.”

Kai was clearly pursuing kudos. “It was a helluva lot longer than five minutes, and you couldn’t have repaired the whatchamacallit if you hadn’t been able to _see_ it, right?”

Jay rolled his eyes to show how impressed he had been. “Big whoop. I could’ve held it in my _mouth_ and gotten the same results.”

“Could you hold it in your mouth if all your teeth were loose?” Kai sneered.

“Boys, boys!” Flipping my bangs to the side with a fingertip, I wondered how they could get so off course so quickly. “You were saying, Jay?”

Making a face at Kai, our mechanic got back to his original news item. “I was _saying_ that with Nya’s help—and Kai’s superior skills at illumination—” Kai nodded to the acknowledgement. “—I was able to get the boosters on the _Bounty_ working again. So, when we left the ship this afternoon, Nya and Sensei pulled up anchor and headed deeper into the Sea of Sand, away from all cover. They also gained altitude, in case the Serpentine make another grab for the Fang Blades.”

I pressed my lips together, thinking about Arwyn’s future reaction to the move. _Sorry, my love. We couldn’t stay near the forest forever_. I was also wondering about Wu’s reaction to the ambush and kidnapping.

Sitting back in my chair, I fingered the handle on my mug. “Good thinking. But I’ve got a feeling the Serpentine’ll be calling for a parley now that they have something to swap.”

Kai eyed me suspiciously. “I _know_ you’re not thinking of handing over the Fang Blades.”

I gave him an annoyed glance. “Of course not. We’re going to _take_ Arwyn and Lloyd back, and the snakes can _cram_ whatever aspirations they have up their _asses!_ We don’t negotiate.” I stood from the table. “And we’re leaving within the hour.”

All three looked at me with doubt. Zane spoke for the group. “You have barely recovered from the worst of the effects of the anesthesia and hypothermia. You are only operating at about eighty percent of your normal capacity—”

“Yeah, well, my eighty percent is like Jay and Kai put together.” That got me dirty looks from both of them. Maybe I shouldn’t have put it that way. “And I’m feeling much better now that I’ve eaten and rested some, so I think I’ll be okay.”

Yeah, that _was_ probably stretching it a bit, since I wasn’t feeling all _that_ okay. However, I couldn’t stand to sit around another minute while Arwyn and Lloyd were in potential danger and the group waited for me to get stronger.

Jay looked at the time on his comlink. “You know it’s after five-thirty, right? It’ll take all your _land_ vehicles running at top speed at least two hours to get to the castle, and by that time, the sun’ll be down. It’s gonna be hard for us to see to plan anything.”

“We do our best work in the dark. Besides, I’ll have two hours to think about all that, won’t I?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your turn to write, please! (Or kudo...)


	28. Beaten and Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn and Lloyd arrive at the Castle of Poisoned Dreams and learn about the Serpentine's plans for their future, as well as the fate of Cole and Zane.

****Arwyn’s POV**

“What did you _do_ to her, you stupid snake?! It’s been _hours,_ and she hasn’t even _moved!”_

“Shut up, you annoying _brat!_ It was just a couple of injections of more anesthetic. I didn’t want her to get bored and try any of her tricks on a three-hour trip. Maybe you should’ve gotten some, too, just to keep your mouth closed!”

“Is she even still alive? I can’t tell if she’s breathing!”

“Quit your whining before I belt you! She’s still breathing. Every now and then.”

Something shoved hard at my hip, pushing me an inch or so across the hard surface on which I was lying. I was already being jarred as the floor moved, and I could hear a steady roaring in my ears. Was it an engine, or was my head about to explode?

I had never been drunk and hung over before, but from the way I felt at the moment, I was guessing the experience would be something like this. I groaned and coughed involuntarily a couple of times, barely moving my head and feeling the vertigo even as I lay on my back with my irritated eyes closed.

“See? I told you she was still alive! Happy now?” The hissing voice was giving me a headache. Or was it the anesthetic? Or the bouncing?

“Arwyn! Arwyn, are you awake? Please wake up! I gotta know you’re okay!” Lloyd’s voice was filled with worry.

My seemingly-thick tongue made it hard to get out a word. “Am awade.” Was that me?

It seemed to satisfy him. “Whew! I thought you were dead! I’ve been awake since not long after we left Castor, and we’ve just been riding and riding forever! I never saw you move, and then he gave you a shot, and then—”

“Shut up! I may not be able to kill you, but the general said nothing about not hurting you! I’ve had enough!” I tried to raise my head to counter the snake’s verbal attack on the boy, but I couldn’t even open my eyes.

When I _was_ able to open them later, I was being lifted from the hard, smooth surface and thrown over the shoulder of a Fangpyre trooper. The only way I could tell that it was one of the red Serpentine was because I could see his reflection in the puddle he crossed as he carried me over the hard-packed ground of a courtyard of sorts.

As he entered a darkened structure with stone walls and started up what must have been a thousand stone steps, I was hoping that the nausea wouldn’t have me puking down the backs of his legs. But, then again, what did I care?

Watching the stairs multiplying under us, I counted the landings through which the spiral staircase rose. I was on three before my jumbled brain finally formed a question. _What is going on?_ Closing my eyes tightly, I strained to think. Eyes burning, smell of rotten eggs, drowsiness, Serpentine… _CRAP!! We were ambushed! Lloyd and I were kidnapped!_

Der. _That_ could be the reason my arms were tied behind my back. I stiffened my legs, attempting to kick out, but found that my ankles were also bound together. It didn’t matter anyway. Trying to get away from my captor at this point, while being carried up a stone staircase, didn’t seem to be the smartest move.

More memories came back as we ascended the worn steps. _Ohmigod! Cole and Zane!_ Where were _they?_ I couldn’t remember hearing their voices when Lloyd and I were on the transport vehicle. I concentrated a moment and searched for any sense of their elements. Not a thing. No cooling sensation, no comforting pressure. Were they just too far away for me to detect?

“Lloyd?” My voice sounded throaty and anxious.

“I’m up here!” At least _we_ were still together.

But where _were_ we? This looked familiar, like something I’d seen in a movie. Was this a castle tower? Where the hell were there _castles?_ _Think, think, think…Damn, that made my head hurt!_ Or maybe it was being upside down and over-medicated.

Finally reaching our destination, the sixth wooden floor, I was unceremoniously dumped onto my side by the Serpentine. Now I had a chance!

Lloyd was being set down by the other Fangpyre when I swung my bound legs out to sweep my abductor off of his feet. He landed on his abdomen with a loud grunt and a solid thud on the ancient floorboards, just close enough for me to swing my legs back around to kick him hard in the face with both feet from a supine position.

Retribution was swift. The Serpentine who’d carried Lloyd sent me rolling onto my side with a kick to my flank. Another quick kick pushed me onto my abdomen, where he kept me by placing a firm foot on my pelvis just below my belt.

Fighting to roll myself again, I was suddenly screaming out in pain as I felt a sharp, cutting blow across my shoulder blades and upper arms, followed by a second and a third.

Biting down hard, my shock turned to fury when I heard Lloyd’s frightened cries for the beating to stop. By the time the fourth blow was delivered, the ropes around my wrists and ankles had ignited in flames and were quickly being consumed. The weight of the guard’s foot on my rear lifted with a shove.

Forcefully pulling my wrists apart, I rent the burning restraints and rolled onto my side, kicking away the ankle ties, and pushing myself onto my feet as fast as I could. I only succeeded in making it upright before staggering back against the nearest wall, knocking the breath from my body when I hit it.

“Ready to surrender, snake-hater?” The Serpentine I had tripped was sneering as he held the tip of his dagger against Lloyd’s neck beneath the curve of his jaw.

Lightheaded, I caught Lloyd’s terrified expression as my throbbing back slid down the rough, stone wall, and I landed on my knees, feeling seriously sick as a dog and about to black out.

My attacker advanced on me, holding the loaded crop he had used to flay my back in one hand, a short sword in the other. Suddenly too weak to fight back, I barely raised a hand to fend him off when he discarded the crop and grabbed the lapel of my jacket, forcing me down onto my hands and knees.

“No! Don’t hurt her anymore!” Lloyd’s cry sounded far away.

Fully expecting to feel him sinking the sword into my back, I closed my eyes and made my last thought one of my precious Cole _. I love you._

Imagine my surprise when he took hold of the back of my jacket and made short work of hacking out the embroidered snake emblazoned there instead.

Snatching the back of my collar when he was done, the reptile pulled me back up onto my knees, shoving the bloodied embroidery in my face and yelling, “Do you really think that this scares us, girl?! Do you?! It means nothing, _nothing!_ We will use you to _crush_ all of your friends, to vanquish Ninjago, to—”

“Enough!” The Fangpyre instantly released my collar, allowing me to collapse to the worn wood as the sound of something dragging along the floor followed the outburst.

Shakily turning my head to see who had interrupted the Fangpyre’s monologue, I took in the Venomari general slithering into the room. Behind him, from the landing, followed the black-and-orange Constrictai general, Skalidor.

Acidicus’ tongue flicked in and out of his leering mouth as he thumped the butt of his staff on the floor. “Do not ruin the surprises. _I_ want to be the one to tell her everything.”

Lloyd and I were being held in what I could only assume was a castle tower. The floor and ceiling were of ancient-looking wood with gaps here and there where it may have rotted through. Patches of sky were visible through the holes in the ceiling, so we must have been on the highest story.

The cool, damp walls were of several different types, sizes, and shades of stone with four tall and narrow windows set at what were probably the four cardinal directions. Little light came from the windows, so several torches set in iron wall brackets burned around the approximately twenty-foot-diameter room.

Sick to my stomach and addle-brained from the anesthesia, hurting like hell from the beating, and trembling with fright from what I had thought would be my certain death, I lay sprawled on the old floorboards.  I watched the heads of the Venomari and Constrictai tribes slink into the room through the huge, arched, wooden door from the landing of the staircase. _Well, hell. What will I have to deal with now?_

With the entrance of the high-ranking Serpentine, all I really felt like doing was helplessly giving up, lying there, and letting them do whatever they had planned for me. But I knew that was not what my proud and fearless ninja brothers would do. It certainly was not what Cole would have me do.

_Cole. Why is he not with me when I need him so badly?_ He had said time and again that only one thing would keep him from being with me. The alarming thought that something horrific may have happened got slammed to the back of my mind as fast as possible.

Summoning every ounce of strength and energy I had left, I pushed aside the nausea and the pain in my back and arms and forced myself up onto my hands and knees, praying I wouldn’t lose consciousness in the process.

While I endeavored to stand, the poorly-lit, circular room was silent, save for Lloyd’s tearful appeals to the serpents to leave me alone. Acidicus and Skalidor patiently watched me, probably thrilled at the picture of one of their enemies literally down on her knees.

Once I had made it to my feet, I took a faltering step back toward the wall and casually placed a hand on it, vainly hoping the four Serpentine couldn’t guess that the rough-hewn stones behind me were probably the only things keeping me erect.

Lifting my quivering chin, and looking Acidicus right in the eye, I tried to appear as brave and defiant as I figured my brothers would be. Nevertheless, there was no sense in evading the issue. In practical terms, Lloyd and I were prisoners of war, which could mean serious maltreatment.

“If you’re intending on engaging me in any other…unpleasant…activities, please take Lloyd to another area. He doesn’t need to be exposed to anything else.”

“How sensitive of you!” The hideous green snake drew closer to me as he responded patronizingly to my request. “However, that will not be done. It appears that he is beneficial as an incentive for you to be on your best behavior, therefore, he will remain within your sight.”  

I shifted my shoulders uncomfortably, noting my lack of chrome-plated armor and scabbard and the presence of my halter-style leather vest. My thin undershirt adhered to the newly-created lacerations on my back as the Venomari general halted in front of me.

“Also, I had no intentions to mistreat you…excessively,” he hissed after noticing my wincing. “But it seems that my assistant’s list of options by which to keep you under control may have been limited. My apologies.”   I knew he didn’t mean it.

Lloyd was still being held with the knife to his throat, fighting back tears as he tried to be brave for both of us. Why the frick was this young boy being used like this? “Get the knife off of him. You don’t need it.”

Acidicus’ daunting yellow eyes studied me. Deciding I was probably not going to act up as long as Lloyd’s safety was in question, he motioned to his henchman who sheathed the blade and shoved the boy away from him. “Of course. Besides, I saw what our venom did to you.” That was not a pleasant memory. “I suppose we have more ways of encouraging you to do as you’re told than I originally counted.”

Stumbling to me, Lloyd quickly hugged me around the waist, making me wince again.   Rubbing his shoulder with my free hand, since I still held up the wall with the other, I tried to allay his fears in a quiet voice. “We’re gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be alright. Just sit tight for a bit, and zip your lip, while I talk to…him.” I didn’t need him to say anything the snakes didn’t need to know.

Bringing my attention back to our captors, I thought of how Kai and Jay would be likely to come up with some acerbic and smart-assed remark, but all I could do was try to control my shaking. Adopting what I hoped seemed to be a glib and bored attitude, I tackled the issue.

“Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty here. This is my first kidnapping, so you’ll have to pardon my naiveté, but isn’t there some protocol for this? Lloyd’s been through this before, but he seems a little more apprehensive than I’d have expected.”

The image of Garmadon’s son sitting by my feet hugging his knees made me even more ill at ease. “Which leads me to believe that this time is kinda different from the last few.” The damned reptiles stood observing me with sickening arrogance, making me feel less threatened and more like I wanted to punch their snouts to the backs of their skulls.

I was already sick of this. Gesturing with my hands, I started rattling off questions, though not really expecting answers. “So why are we here, and what do you plan on doing with us? Where are our friends? Have you contacted them to negotiate a ransom? How did you get out of jail? How did you even know we were in Castor and plan something like that so quickly?”

“Well, aren’t you a nosy one!” The black-and-orange Constrictai general spoke up spitefully. “Like we have to explain anything to you! You’re in no position to ask questions! You’re just a _kunoichi_ to be used as we see fit!”

“Don’t call me that!” I pointed at him and spat with Kai’s heat in my veins. I hated his attitude and the older connotations of that term. “I live, train, and _fight_ beside my _ninja_ brothers! I am a _ninja,_ and I will _not_ be used by the likes of you!”

I had taken an unintentional step toward the offensive slitherer before Acidicus had stopped me with the head of his golden staff on my chest.

_“That_ is where you need educating, girl.” Pushing just enough with his staff, he forced me backward against the wall. “Have a seat next to Garmadon the Younger, and I will be more than happy to tell you all there is to know.” I had little choice, or strength, to do anything else.

The yellow-crested serpent began to slither back and forth in front of us as though pacing on the wooden planks. “Let me begin by crushing your hopes of returning to your pitiable group. There will _be no_ negotiating, and you and the boy _will_ be used however we like. I will _take_ all that I desire. I want—” he cast a sidelong glance toward his brutish associate. “I mean, _we_ want control of Ninjago and the Serpentine army.”

“Lloyd will be held hostage in an effort to encourage Garmadon to relinquish any plans he has to take over the land. We aim to retrieve the Fang Blades before Pythor and depose him, thwarting his aspirations. With your command of all of the elements of the Masters of Spinjitzu, you have the potential to wield a great deal of power, and we intend to take full advantage of that.”

My laugh was dry and derisive from my spot on the floor against the wall. “Well, I have news for you, because I’ve just really begun my training. Without my brothers to instruct me—”

“Don’t interrupt me,” Acidicus warned. “And I’m sure you can be encouraged to continue to hone your skills _without_ their tutelage.” He viewed Lloyd meaningfully, making me hug the boy closer to my side.

Skalidor moved forward impatiently, bumping against Acidicus’ elbow. “We can begin by having her feel the bite of the Fangpyre! We have them here now! She can start to serve us today as a Serpentine!”

Acidicus made a show of brushing the grubbing general’s grime from his arm. “Actually, I believe she will be more useful to us in her present form after one of the Hypnobrai has convinced her to be more supportive of our cause.”

He edged away from his partner. “Metamorphosing her will only ruin the chance of using the art of deception. Imagine how understandably grateful Wu and his ninja will be when their valuable teammate is returned to them unharmed, and how unsuspecting when she then murders them in their sleep and recovers the Fang Blades for us.”

“You didn’t mention these plans before…” grumbled Skalidor.

“You did not ask,” the clearly-in-charge snake returned curtly, nodding to me again. “To continue, I…we can then employ you and your elemental powers to help keep Ninjago under control. Or at least whatever is left of it after the Great Devourer has gorged himself until sated.”

Outwardly enjoying the telling of his story, the green general slid to the center of the room. “You asked about my…incarceration. I was out in less than three days, thanks to the negligence of the authorities, who were imprudent enough to house me on the ground floor.” He bowed slightly toward the other Serpentine chief in the room. “The Constrictai are skilled excavators, after all.”

Tilting his head, he made a question of an obvious fact. “I suppose the police failed to contact your group about that?” I just kept my eye on him. “At any rate, after my rescue, we obtained a large amount of the chemicals to which you were exposed and were plotting to gain access to your derelict ship and gas you all as you slept, massacring your team, and taking you, Lloyd, and the Fang Blades into our custody.”

I drew in a breath and shuddered slightly at the coldhearted and careless manner in which he related his heinous scheme as he went on. “However, _that_ delicious plan was terminated when a scout happened to pick up your presence on your jaunt when you were nearing Castor. A squad of mine happened to not be far away, the plan could be easily diverted, and I thought, ‘Why not strike while the iron is hot?’”

“You were heading toward the edge of town when you were spotted again, and my commander took the chance you would use a certain route. They got lucky, and, thanks to Lloyd, it all worked out wonderfully.” His smug attitude was hard to swallow.

Shamefaced, Lloyd put his forehead down on his knees. I patted his back to let him know I didn’t blame him for that while I glared up at Acidicus. “Where are the two brothers who were with us?”

Before answering, the Venomari handed his staff to Skalidor, treating him like his personal valet, then turned back to me, clasping his hands before him. “That is where this, personally, gets very gratifying! You see, for quite a while, I have been harboring a growing aversion for your leader, the earth ninja. Nearly every stratagem we have put into play has been spoiled by his intervention and that of his team.”

Acidicus’ hiss became low and was filled with hatred. “But I truly began to abhor him about four months ago during an encounter north of Birchwood Forest. I will not bore you with details of the entire battle.” The tip of his tail was undulating agitatedly. “But I witnessed the black devil face one of my blood brothers, Malicicum, and watched him take my nest-mate’s legs out from under him. Literally.”

In a split second, he was suddenly raging, his voice ear-piercing as he came toward Lloyd and me. _“With one stroke of that cursed scythe, he amputated Malicicum’s legs at mid-thigh, leaving him bleeding to death on the ground as he turned his back on him and went to find another Serpentine victim!”_

Reaching me, his clawed hand flashed forward, and, although I raised a forearm and tried to duck away, he seized a handful of my hair at the scalp just behind my ear. Hauling me up to stand beside him, he kept on with his rapid rant.

“My vendetta began that day, but became more bitter before I could fully plan my revenge! My remaining nest-mate, Loathicus, was on your ship with me a week ago! Again, I _saw_ what the ninja leader did to him, also, _crushing his skull against the mast with a violent, whirling kick, then coldly leaping over his dying form, all because of **you,** because he was intent on defending **you**!”_

I could only grimace from the burning in my scalp and clutch at his arm as he shrieked and shook me, making me think the hair would be pulled from my head.

Yanking my face up to his, he forced me to stand on my toes and paused in his raving, giving me a chance to respond. “I agree with him…that the only _good_ snake is a _dead_ snake.” That was probably construed as somewhat inflammatory.

Hearing his sharp inhalation, I knew what was coming, and straight away closed my eyes tightly and attempted to turn my face from his. His repulsive laughter rang out at my reaction. “You learn quickly, girl.”

Becoming strangely calm, he dropped the volume of his speech several decibels. “But know this. That may have _once_ been his opinion on snakes, but he has killed his _last_ Serpentine warrior.”

I was suddenly paralyzed, unable to breathe as the implications of his statement hit me full in the face.

_Cole_. _Oh, dear God… He can’t mean_ …

Petrified, I stared into the narrowed eyes of my reptilian captor with my own wide and terrified ones. He drew my face closer to his as his malicious smile became even more dreadful.

“Do you realize how many of my soldiers your despicable leader and his friends have murdered, how _greatly_ they are reviled by our tribes?”

I had seen how savage the fighting between the foes had been on the _Bounty_. One by one, the snakes had been mercilessly cut down by the Masters, killed like the reptiles they were. I could imagine that the hatred on both sides was equally vehement.

_Cole. No. No. No_ … _He can’t be saying_ ….

Somehow, I found my voice. “B-But, we were all unconscious. They would have been _h-helpless_ …”

The glow from the small flames of the wall torches in the darkened, stone-lined room glinted off of his scales. “So tell me, had the ninja come upon Serpentine in that state, do you think they would have hesitated to hack _us_ to pieces?”

He flicked his tongue against my bloodless cheek and answered his own question. “I think not. I simply had my warriors do as the ninja would. As they slept.”

“No, no, no…” _Please, my God, let it be a lie! Please don’t let it be true_ …

The excruciating pain in my scalp was suddenly replaced with an exploding pain in my chest. My face contorted with it, and I opened my parched mouth to scream, but no sound emerged. The rest of my body had become numb and icy.

From far away, I could just barely hear Lloyd wailing, “No, no, you didn’t! You couldn’t!”

My mind was a blank with nothing but Cole’s name repeating itself over and over. The sound of keening grew steadily louder and louder in my ears. When I reached for the serpent general’s face with my short fingernails, ready to tear out his gleeful eyes and stop his odious laughter, I realized that the howling was coming from me.

I wanted to shred his face, kick in his chest, do everything I could to make him hurt, to destroy him, to deny his every word, accuse him of lying. But essentially I knew that he spoke the truth. I knew that if the Serpentine had had a chance at retaliation by brutally killing two ninja, they would have eagerly taken it.

Acidicus tried to dodge my clawing hands by turning his head, yelling for his minion to secure Lloyd as he did so. Lightning arced toward his face, and he bellowed in pain and anger as he flung me to the floor by my hair.

I landed hard on my side, bruising my elbow, and feeling the bite of the Fangpyre’s loaded crop across the backs of my thighs several times.

I didn’t care what happened to me. There was no way they could hurt me worse than they had just done. My world had been destroyed.

Sobbing in despair, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps, my entire body shook as I lay on my abdomen, pressed my forehead against the filthy floor, and dug my nails into the age-softened wood.

Nothing mattered anymore. Cole and Zane were dead. _Cole._ _My love_ … My life’s heart had stopped beating.

Between my own sobs, I could hear Lloyd’s pitiful crying from somewhere near me. “How c-could you? How could you d-do that? Cole and Zane were _good_ guys! They d-didn’t _deserve_ that!” He was answered only by snorting, revolting laughter.

_They were so **wonderful** …They were so **loved**_ …

As I lay with my face to the floor, unable to control either my bawling or the quaking of my body, I felt a painful, localized pressure on my back between my shoulders, perhaps the butt of the hateful snake’s staff.

His voice came from close to my ear. “You are fortunate that Lloyd is useful to me. But, any more antics like that, and I may have to allow him to be abused.”

_“P-Please_ …J-Just k-kill me, and b-be _done_ with it!”

“I am sorry, but I cannot oblige your request. You have too much potential for me to be so wasteful.”

After taking a deep breath to slow the hiccupping, I turned my head toward him and spoke from between my gnashing teeth so only he could hear. “I could k-kill _you_ right now. It would be s-so easy. Crush your h-head with my bare hands. S-Stab you through the h-heart with a spear of ice. Electrocu-cute or incinerate you…”

There was an evil sound in his deep chuckle. “Keep that fire in your belly, ninja, but know that if I am harmed, Skalidor will probably have Lloyd killed to punish you. He is _not_ as intelligent or as farsighted as I. _You_ will not die. You will continue to suffer your losses…and more. If I cannot find a use for the fire and lightning ninja—and I most probably will not—they, too, will be meeting their ends very soon.”

The weight on my upper back increased a second before disappearing completely. Shutting my eyes as a fresh round of hot tears began, I didn’t notice that Acidicus had not gone until several moments later when the heavy, dragging sound of a scaly tail sliding across the floorboards came to me. The bastard had stayed there and basked in the sight of my grief.

Having been released by the snakes, Lloyd was suddenly at my side, crying my name and pulling on my slashed and bloodstained jacket. “You can’t die, too! Please don’t leave me!”

Pushing myself up on one arm and rolling onto my side, I pulled his smaller body closer as he fell upon me and released another deluge of tears.

“Oh, honey, I don’t want to die…” My words were whispered against straight, blonde hair powdered with sulphur. “I just don’t want to _live_ without Cole.”

The hefty wooden door banged closed as the last of the Serpentine exited the room, leaving my traumatized cousin and me mourning bitterly for our lost loved ones.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment or kudo! I don't bite! ;)


	29. Best-Laid Schemes O’ Snakes and Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Acidicus and Skalidor are enlightened about the ambush. Cole and the team ready themselves for a rescue.

CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Skalidor’s POV**

Although difficult to understand, the anguished lamentations of the female and the boy had been somewhat satisfying. If the degree of sorrowing was any indication, the black and white ninja were highly valued by them, even if they were fervidly despised by my kind.

Rarely was this type of emotion even _felt_ by one of our species. Weakness such as that was unheard of and not tolerated. _Self-preservation_ was a top priority, _not_ developing attachments to other Serpentine, even when we had mates, who were more likely to stab one in the back than to pat it.

I could understand that Acidicus was upset over the deaths of his siblings in battle against the shadow-shrouded ninja, but I suspected it had more to do with the identity of the man who slew them than his fondness for them.

When he had discovered the group was in such close proximity to our own, Acidicus had ordered the last-minute execution of the plan to kidnap the girl and Garmadon’s son. Without consulting with me. He had also demanded that the golden weapons of the Spinjitzu Masters, and the head of their leader, should accompany them back to our new encampment.

My Venomari colleague and I differed in our thinking in that respect. I also wanted possession of his scythe, but I would have preferred that the formidable earth ninja’s head remain attached to his powerhouse anatomy, for I desired him as a scale-covered leader of my Constrictai troops.

My admiration, of course, was purely aimed toward his remarkable strength and striking skills as a tactician and captain.

For that matter, the other ninja would surely have some value as Serpentine converts, but Acidicus was calling the shots before I could put in my suggestions. I was peeved that we had lost the chance to control two of the ninja because of his vengeful, rash decision-making. I planned on having a word or two with him in private later.

For now, as Acidicus led me and the two Fangpyre soldiers down to the restored remains of the great hall off of the inner ward of the castle, I was biding my time. We were to meet with the rest of the squad from Castor and the small company stationed at the citadel to celebrate our latest victory with a meal.

To my amusement, after getting a report from the cowering commander of the Castor crew, the Venomari general’s belligerent screeching echoed throughout the large, stone-and-timber chamber, followed by the haphazard throwing of anything not nailed down.

Happily, most of the food was hurriedly removed from the tables before he could get his hands on the platters. The festivities were necessarily postponed until later in the evening.

After listening to the incompetent officer’s account, as well as those of the Fangpyre kidnappers, it sounded as if the leader of the attack had overconfidently left the building before insuring that the job was completed. He had then prematurely ordered the driver of one of the Fangpyre trucks to take him back to the castle, expecting to be followed by the rest of the group.

The Fangpyre abductors admitted to having seen the amazingly wide-awake ice ninja in combat with other members of the squad, although they had not laid eyes on the ninja of earth since before the release of the anesthetic gases.

When they had made it to the alley where the remaining Serpentine vehicle was parked, they had quickly loaded their cargo and fled the scene, leaving any survivors on foot.

No other team members had yet returned to the castle, nor could they be contacted. It was assumed that another Serpentine squadron had been vanquished by the ninja.

Although I was irate about more of our warriors being cut down by only two of the ninja, I was secretly pleased that the earth ninja’s demise could not be confirmed.

When his stack was fully blown, Acidicus sulked at one of the few windows in the place for a while before he finally hissed in bitter disappointment, “The worthless wretch slipped away again.”

I only nodded. _He may seem worthless to you, but **I** could find a use for him._ Aloud I said, “I’m sure there will be another encounter with him and his group within a few days. Without a doubt, the ninja will be looking for this female and Garmadon’s boy without delay. Perhaps we should—“

“We have time,” Acidicus rudely interrupted. “They have no possible way of knowing the captives are here. You heard the Fangpyre say that he destroyed the wrist communication device he found on her not long after they exited Castor, just in case it had a tracking device in it.” He turned to me with a presumptuous air. “The ninja will not find them.”

An underling entered the great hall with one of the kegs of a celebratory beverage and offered me a pewter goblet, probably a relic of the fortress. Taking it after he had filled it, I listened to the Venomari go on about the plans he was coming up with alone.

“We will let the ninja in green and Garmadon’s offspring continue to sorrow for their friends. It will keep them despondent and easier to control. After I contact Skales and Fangtom tomorrow and invite them to join us with more reinforcements, we will hypnotize her and release the two prisoners in Castor.”

He motioned to the lackey to bring his drink to him. “From there they can find their way back to their ship _,_ and we will clandestinely keep an eye on their location.”  

If I’d had hackles, they would have been raised as I listened to the self-important lout inform me of the designs he was plotting without so much as asking my opinions.

“We can then control the woman through the hypnosis, having her kill all of the slumbering adults on board, retrieve the Fang Blades, and return to us with Lloyd.” He downed the contents of his goblet and held it out for more, sneering, “I would prefer to be the one to bleed out the ninja commander, but I think having one of his own teammates do it is much more poetic.”

I swirled the drink in my footed cup. “Rather than _kill_ them all, _I_ would prefer that the ninja be made into our slaves. They could prove to be quite useful, just as—”

 _“I_ want him _dead!_ I want to _hurt_ him where it hurts the most, put a _stop_ to his beating heart, take away his breath!” I hated it when he ranted. And he was carelessly spilling good wine. “I want him _gone!”_

I thought back to the way the female had reacted when the first hint had arisen that the strongly-built defender of Ninjago had met his end at the hands of our soldiers. The extreme pallor that had overtaken her features made me wonder if Acidicus was not approaching his plan of vengeance from the wrong angle, if maybe he could achieve all he wanted by using her in a different manner.

Considering the inexplicability of human couplings, my guess was that if they were mates, anything we did to _her_ would be more effective at making the Spinjitzu practitioner suffer greatly, or aid in controlling him, than attacking him directly.

However, I hesitated to suggest this to my brash compadre. Just in case he went off the deep end, I didn’t wish for him to impulsively eliminate our useful pawn just to spite the ninja in black, so I kept quiet. The concept might also be a nice ace up my proverbial sleeve for later.

CASTOR

****Cole’s POV**

I was pulling my jacket up over my shoulders when a tugging on my gi pant leg had me looking down into the shiny, brown eyes of A-Cappella as I stood barefooted on the carpet of my old bedroom.

“Ooh, A-Cappella!” Jay laughed as he followed the puppy into the room and bent to scoop him up. The fabric of my pants hung up in the little dog’s sharp teeth as he growled softly and shook his head, causing Jay to stop to work it loose. “You’re poking a big bear in the butt with an itty, bitty stick, ya know that?”

I chuckled softly as I tied my belt and reached for my folded tabi socks. “He’s good, Jay.” Looking ruefully at the squirming ball of white-and-tan fur in Jay’s arms, I wished for a moment that we could take the pup home with us for Lloyd, but with the way we sometimes worked, there was no guarantee that we’d be able to take care of him. At least Lloyd could visit him here at Dad’s house once in a while.

“I see you’re almost ready to go,” Jay commented, handing me my leg wraps while watching me pull on my boots. My eyes cut to him warily.

“Even though you’re _not_ in tip-top shape,” he continued, making me snatch the wraps from his grasp impatiently.

“Jay…” I warned in a low tone while I began to bind my lower legs with the strips of material. “We’ve already been over this…”

“Oh, I know, and I _totally_ understand, too.” He sat on the bed, letting A-Cappella loose on the quilt. “If this was Nya we were going after, you _know_ what kind of sniveling mess _I’d_ be. I have to say, you’re holding up really well, considering.”

 _You have no idea_ …Not answering him, I went on with my dressing, reaching for my vest armor and tucking the dry photo into its hidden pocket next to Arwyn’s earring. My chest tightened for a moment, but I tried to ignore it.

My azure-garbed brother flopped onto his back on the mattress. “Guess you don’t wanna talk, and that’s alright. I gotcha.” I didn’t get too hopeful that he’d not want to, either.

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that while you were enjoying your beauty rest, I took the liberty of starting a project on my own, setting up a bit of a plan for the start of our mission.” That’s when he got my undivided attention.

I tried not to act too territorial _. “You’re_ taking over the planning now?”

Sitting up quickly on the bed to avoid the puppy’s attack on his ear, he tried to set me straight. “Oh, don’t get me wrong! It’s just this one time. I decided I’ll be flying ahead of everyone and doing a little scouting around the area while I wait for you to catch up.”

“How’re you planning to do that when the Serpentine’ll hear your engines before you get within sight of the castle?” My hand went on my hip as I lectured him with cynical doubt. “As quiet and desolate as the moor is, I’m already thinking that we’ll all have to dispel the vehicles at about two miles away and walk the rest of the way in to avoid that.”

“Oh, but you’ll be proud of me!” His face lit up as his mouth cranked up. “I’ve already thought of that! I figure I can fly into the area at about ten thousand feet, cut the engines, glide near the castle, and nosedive directly over it before dispelling the Storm Fighter and finally gliding down on my own set of wings like when we escaped the floating city after getting my nunchuks!” Finally a breath. “I made ’em while you were sleeping.”

Silence rang in my ears as a ridiculous–looking grin split his face, and A-Cappella jumped repeatedly against his back.

“Excuse me?” I croaked out. I just knew I wasn’t hearing him correctly.

“You heard me correctly,” he returned with the same nutty grin, reaching around behind him to snag the hyper young dog.

Blinking hard, I shook my head, thinking I must have gotten brain damage from the hypothermia, or I had caught it from him. “What kind of cockamamie, half-assed, hare-brained—”

“Well, Jay, I see you are informing him of our plan.” Turning to face the doorway, I confronted Zane as he strode in, in full uniform, to join us.

 _“’Our_ plan’?” I was astonished, to say the least. “You’re actually _encouraging_ this preposterous, half-baked, absurd—”

His attitude was placid as he overlooked my judgmental reaction. “Not only _encouraging_ , but I will also be _accompanying_ him.”

Was I the only one who thought this was crazy? “Seriously? And I’m supposed to just _let_ you both take this outrageous risk?”

Placing the puppy on the floor, Jay frowned, perhaps a little offended by my opinion of his idea. “Aw, c’mon! We’ve—’scuse me— ** _you’ve_** done things that were just as outlandish, Mr. I-Swam-the-Strait-and-I-Didn’t-Care-That-There-Was-A-Recent-Baby-Boom-in-the-Neighborhood-Shark-Population.”

“The sharks were in the _gulf_ , and at _that_ time of year, the water in the strait was too cold for them _anyway!”_ I corrected him with an index fingertip aimed in his direction _. I never should have told them about that._

“Yeah, swimming twenty-five miles in frigid water resembling a fishing lure to a lot of overgrown piranha makes a _lot_ of sense, doesn’t it?” His self-righteous expression was annoying the crap out of me.

Zane brought us back to the original issue. “As for ‘letting us take this risk’, you do not really have a say in the matter. This is going to be our contribution, and you cannot do very much about it.”

Feeling like a rebellion was being waged against me, I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Zane, I can’t lose more teammates…”

His hand rested on my shoulder. “Fear not. But I have the need to make restitution—”

“Zane, you don’t—”

“…For the renewal of my self-assurance as well as for Arwyn and Lloyd. I need to do this.” The look in his eyes told me I didn’t have a snowball’s chance of changing his mind.

Running a hand through my hair, I sighed in resignation. “Okay, fine. But what are the odds that you’ll both _not_ be killed doing this? And don’t lie to me and pad the stats! And if they’re low, I absolutely _can’t_ allow this!”

His eyes brightened. “Our odds are unbelievably good if Jay’s craftsmanship does not prove to be inferior.”

Jay hopped off of the bed and headed out of the door with the attention-demanding pup nipping at his heels. “Hey, I’m insulted! Do you think I’d try this if I thought it wouldn’t work?!”

Zane and I exchanged doubtful glances before I went back to gearing up.

Jack Frost’s twin leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest as I wrapped my forearms with narrow pieces of black cotton duck. “I was talking to Jay while you rested. He said he lost the signal from Arwyn’s comlink not long before he arrived in Castor. Thankfully, the homing beacon he sewed behind the breastplate of her vest has proved to be invaluable.”

 _They destroyed her comlink_ …I was grateful that he had had the foresight to do something like that. I had been surprised when he had come to me with the idea three weeks ago, and was a little envious that I hadn’t thought of it myself.

He had then manufactured one for every resident of the _Bounty_ to be attached to something they always wore when they left the ship. Lloyd’s belt, however, had stayed in his duffel bag this morning.

My throat became painfully constricted as I started to worry about what was happening to my love and the one who was like a little brother to us. With an effort, I forced my mind back to our present situation and got it clicking away on different ways to make our mission a successful one.

“If you’re gonna do this, then when you get to our destination, you’re in charge of espionage, Jay’s got the sabotage assignment, okay?” He nodded serenely. “Tell him to hit every vehicle he can find while you gather any information you can about the Serpentine and whatever plans they may have.”

“Locate Arwyn and Lloyd as soon as you possibly can, as well as possible exits. By the time Kai and I get there, we should be able to concentrate all of our energy on getting them out.   That’s gonna be a lot tougher than getting in.” He grunted in agreement right as Kai and Jay came barging back into the bedroom.

“Jay clued me in on his Operation Blue-Footed Booby. Jumping out of the Storm Fighter with glider wings? Sounds crazy. Why wasn’t _I_ invited to do that?” Kai stood at the foot of the bed with his hands on his hips and a mildly slighted glare, reminding me of a child who felt his sibling was getting preferential treatment.

“I can’t make enough room in my jet for your _big head!”_ The other child stopped in the doorway. “Besides, you’re always bragging about your _huge_ crotch rocket! So _ride_ it, cowboy!”

"'Crotch rocket’. Nice. Let me show you what _you_ can ride.” Kai tried an intimidating step forward as my comlink vibrated on my wrist. As though bitten by a snake, I lifted my forearm with a jerk and saw it was a call from the _Bounty_. My stomach clenched with anxiety. _Not something else, please!_

Glancing at the bantering pair, I held my finger over the ‘talk’ button on the device. “Stop the playground trash talking, and get out so I can take this! I’ll be ready to roll in a few minutes.”

As Zane herded the other two into the hallway, I punched the keypad and tried to sound carefree. “Hey, Nya. What’s up?”

“Cole, hey! Sensei and I are doing okay! Just wanted to talk to you a minute.” Her cheery voice had an unusual tenseness to it. “Jay called and told me everything. He said you were awake, and you were all going to leave Castor soon.” She paused. “I’m sorry about Arwyn and Lloyd, but I’m glad you and Zane’re okay. Jay said you’re trying to keep a stiff upper lip. How _are_ you doing?”

Holding the communication device near my face, I frowned slightly and shut my eyes. She knew very well how I was doing, but it was nice of her to give me a chance to lie about it anyway. “I’m fine, feeling alright.”

“Um, hmm. I’m sure.” She didn’t sound like she bought it. “I know that ‘fine’ is actually an acronym for you.”

I frowned more. “What do you mean?”

“When _you_ use it, it stands for ‘effed up, irritable, neurotic, and emotional’.” She was good at hitting the nail on the head.

“….Ohmigod, Nya, I don’t know what I’m going to do if something has happened to her! She is my world, my universe, everything!” I didn’t want to break down crying with her, but I figured if I did, she’d understand.

“I know, Cole! I’m so scared for them, and I know you are, too! I’m so sorry you’re going through this! I wish I could be with you, just to hug you.”

Nya was amazing, just like Arwyn and Sofiya, and probably Renata. How could I have lived so long thinking all women were like my mother? How could my father continue to do so? “Thanks, Nya. You’re terrific, you know that?”

“Back atcha, big guy! Look, I know you’re scratching to get on the road, so I won’t keep you. And I won’t ask you to keep Jay and Kai out of trouble, ‘cause I know they’re a double handful, but all of you just try to be careful.” I thought she was about to sign off then. “Oh, and Sensei wants to talk to you, okay?”

I sat down heavily on the bed and brought my free hand to my forehead, closing my eyes again. “…Okay.” _Here we go_ …

A moment of silence followed, then a rustling and a clunk before I heard, “Cole?”

My hand remained on my forehead as I swallowed hard. “I’m here, Sensei.”

Another clunk and more rustling. “Hello? Cole?”

I dropped my hand from my head and looked quizzically at the comlink. “Sensei? I’m here. Can you hear me alright?”

The rustling stopped. “Oh. There you are, Cole!” In hushed tones, I heard him mutter, “I hate these newfangled…,” then louder, “Anyway, I have already received a full account of what happened from Zane.” I nodded. Zane had said he had called earlier. “Are you well?”

Why did everyone keep asking me that? “Well enough.”

“Very good, then.” There was silence from the other end for a time. “Cole?”

“Yes, Sensei?”

“I know you will do everything in your power to bring my family back home to me safely.” His voice didn’t sound as steady as usual.

“I will,” I promised. _Or I’ll die trying_.

As if he had heard my thought, he cleared his throat and responded, “I would prefer that you see to it that you _all_ return safely. I do not wish to lose _any_ of my loved ones.”

After breaking off the communication with Wu, which he did abruptly, either because he didn’t know how to work the system, or because he thought he was about to embarrass himself, I noticed another vibrating sound.

Digging through our overnight bags, I found a text waiting on Arwyn’s cell phone, which she didn’t bother to lock. I smiled longingly at the selfie she had as wallpaper, one of the two of us in her parents’ backyard yesterday after the barn-razing before I had put my shirt back on. Praying once again that she was alright, I hit the screen to read the waiting text.

_[Checking to see if you got back okay. Let me know. Love you much!]_

OMG, it was her mom. But, I had finally gotten a break. All I had to do to cover was send back a quick text, pretending to be Arwyn, and her parents would be none the wiser for a while, right?

I quickly tapped out, _[Not back yet. Stayed a little long in Castor. Call you when we get to ship. Love you, too!]_ , hit ‘send’, and slipped the phone into my pants pocket in case they called again later. Mission accomplished.

Following Zane, Kai, and Jay a minute later, I was walking out the front door of my dad’s house carrying the Scythe of Quakes as my father held a whiny A-Cappella to keep him from chasing his blue buddy out into the street.

Turning back to him to say ‘goodbye’, I caught my father calling out, “Have fun storming the castle!” with a smile and a wave. I guess the look I gave him indicated that I wasn’t sure he wasn’t going out of his mind since he followed up sheepishly with, “Sorry, I was just thinking about a movie I once saw. Pretty funny. But…maybe now’s not the time.”

Regaining his composure, his tone became more serious. “I’ll be praying for all of you, and I’ve been praying for Arwyn and Lloyd. She seems like a very good woman. She loves you very much. I can tell. Come back safely. All of you.” He hugged me with one arm since A-Cappella was threatening to leap to freedom.

Returning his hug, I said, “Thanks, Dad. We may be back at some point to pick up our things and Arwyn’s helmet. I just don’t know when.”

“Just come back.”

“We will,” I returned, hoping I wasn’t jinxing us. Meeting my three brothers on the sidewalk, I studied with some concern the folded glider wings Zane and Jay held, then gave a last-minute briefing. “Okay, everyone’s on the same channel, everyone’s got the same coordinates, right?” The group nodded their consensus.

“Kai, stick with me. Zane and Jay, do what you gotta do, but be extremely cautious. We’ll contact you two when we stop and dispel our vehicles two miles from the castle. At that point, we’ll discuss further plans when we have a better idea of the situation and conditions. Any questions?” Determined faces surrounded me as the trio shook their heads ‘no’.

Kai extended his hand into the middle of our circle. “Then I say we get this show on the road to take back the Green Ninja and our little brother and _kick some Serpentine_ _ASS!”_ Hands were stacked, an energetic _‘Ninja **Go!** ’_ was shouted, and we separated to transform our weapons.

Jay’s Storm Fighter taking off on the quiet residential street had quite a few doors and windows opening up and down the block, so I had to laugh a little as I drove behind Kai on our way out of Castor. My jovial mood was terminated when I felt a tremor in my pants pocket.

Fishing Arwyn’s phone out, I stared with something akin to panic at the brightly lit screen. Her mother was calling. _Seriously?! Why is this happening to me?_    It vibrated three more times before I could get myself to hit the ‘talk’ button. “Hello?”

“…Cole?” No doubt Sora was surprised to have me answering her daughter’s phone.

“Yes, ma’am, it’s me.” I took a deep breath. “How are you?”

She hesitated. “Um, fine. Where’s Arwyn?”

 _Think quick! “_ Ah…she’s asleep in the backseat. We’re still on the road. My dad insisted on us staying, looking at photos, eating an early supper, that kind of thing.” I was gonna bomb this one, I just knew it.

“Oh, well, alright. I hope you all enjoyed the trip. I was calling her back because her text didn’t sound quite right. She usually answers ‘love you much’ with ‘love you more’, not ‘love you, too’. Is she okay?”

 _CRAP! I’m busted._ “Ah, actually, ah…that was me. I saw she had a text, and I didn’t want you to get worried about her while you waited, and since she was sleeping—”

“You texted while _driving_ with my daughter in the vehicle?!” Her disapproval was obvious. I could hear Ryo in the background yelling, “Tell him he’d better not be driving while he’s on the phone!”

“No! No, ma’am!” Why wasn’t this getting easier? “I was stopped at a signal when I did that!”

“Hmm. Okay. Well, have her call me when she wakes up.”

“Yes, ma’am, I will. Have a good evening!” Hanging up with her, I was about ready to bang my head on the steering wheel. I hated doing that. If I played my cards right, these were my future in-laws I was lying to, but I couldn’t leave them hanging, and I certainly wasn’t gonna tell them the truth about where Arwyn was. I just needed to put them off for a while.

 _I’m freakin’ going on a mission to rescue the love of my life from a group of murderous, conniving, vengeful reptiles, and I’m fielding texts and phone calls from her three parents? What is **wrong** with this picture?_ I was seriously hoping this wasn’t the beginning of a slippery slide south.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done beggin'...


	30. Desolation Vs. Determination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arwyn finds the Castle of Poisoned Dreams is named that for a reason, and Cole frets on the way to the citadel while Kai tries to distract him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Ninjago is Asian-themed, but it's also pretty eclectic, and I really like medieval European castles. The floor plan for the Castle of Poisoned Dreams is based on the ruins of thirteenth-century Harlech Castle in Wales, although my castle's not in as bad a shape as that one. :)

CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Arwyn’s POV**

Running. Golden rays from the early morning sun cut through the trees, lit the path as my royal-purple-and-gold trail shoes flashed beneath me. Over the roots, crunching in the fallen leaves, sailing over a small stream, next to brightly tinted wildflowers.

The sound of my breathing was audible, but it came easily, was not labored. Running like I was traveling on a current of wind, my feet barely touching the ground, following the winding trail. Running with my brothers.

Cole was at my right elbow, grinning exuberantly at me, breathing with little exertion as he kept up with me. On my left, Zane ran with a focused countenance, watching the path ahead. Kai flanked him. Jay was the opposite wing, beside Cole.

Listening to their laughter, their confident voices, freedom, faith, power, energy filled and exhilarated me as the five of us ran abreast through the forest, exuding joy.

The murkiness that descended was not gradual. The sun crossed the sky as though pulled by a speeding chariot, chased by an opaque curtain. Shadows leapt across our path, enveloping all. Yet we determinedly ran.

The pervading gloom took all color with it, reached past the earthly, stole into my heart, robbed me of all positive emotion. Fatigue set in, breathing became an effort.

I looked to Cole to see if he felt the same. His face was grim. “Go on without me.” Vanishing from my sight, his corporeal form was replaced by the weight of his Scythe of Quakes on my back.

Panic and confusion hit me as I faced Jay. “Get out of the way!” he cried with a dogged look, dissolving into the shadows as his Nunchuks of Lightning filled my left hand.

The physical exertion of the run increased. Next to me, Zane’s strong voice rang out, “I will hold them back!” His Shurikens of Ice, the only trace of him left, were in my right hand an instant later.

With alarm, I stared at the only remaining guardian of the Green Ninja. Kai’s eyes narrowed as he stated assuredly, “This is _your_ fight,” before he, too, disappeared, and the heft of the Dragon Sword of Fire was added to that of the scythe.

Alone, filled with fear and anguish, feeling forsaken and disconcerted, my run continued. Over and over, calling their names, yet no one answered.

The forest trail closed in on me, became a narrow, sinister tunnel of vegetation. The weight of the weapons steadily grew, slowing my progress.

Forever, it seemed, I ran, unable to stop, out of the forest, across the desert wasteland, stumbling through rocky terrain, each step more difficult than the last.

The earth trembled and swelled under my feet. Lightning flashed overhead. Hail and sleet fell. Objects bordering my path ignited, flammable or not.

Still there were no other signs of the Masters who supported me, only voiceless echoes of the past mocking me. _We will not leave you. One of us will always be with you._

Gasping, I heard myself cry out, “You said you wouldn’t leave me!” Another unsettling echo followed. _You are my heart. I will never willingly leave you._ _I would have to be dead._

A cold, black rain began to fall from the abysmal murkiness above as my feet hit hard, level pavement, soaking me to the skin, mingling with my tears. A deserted city street stretched to infinity as the race to exhaustion went on for several blocks.

The rain diminished slowly, but the sky remained dark.

“Arwyn!” Cole’s voice called out from a side street.

Mercifully, my legs stopped moving, and I turned to see my love standing several yards away, garbed in a gi and boots of shining silver, a violet aura surrounding him. Eyes aglow with devotion, he beamed at me, carefully cradling a golden-swathed bundle against his chest with his left arm.

“My heart, come to me.” Lovingly, his voice reached me as his free hand beckoned.

Relief and elation engulfed me as I moved to step toward him, but I could not lift my legs. Confounded, I saw that my feet were obscured by a thick, swirling haze.

Gazing down at the swaddling clothes, my cherished Cole gently moved aside a corner of the gilt blanket, revealing a tiny, round head covered with downy, black hair. He turned his adoring gaze to me and smiled proudly.

“Our baby son. The one we’ve created with our love. He is the son of earth, of Ninjago. Come to me, _mi cuore_.” Yearning to reunite with him, to be enfolded in his embrace, to bring our baby to my breast, I struggled to no avail to move my legs.

“Come and see our son.” His tone became insistent, his eyes darkened, no longer filled with tenderness.

I continued to futilely strain against the unseen bonds around my feet, reaching out for him in desperation. “I can’t!”

Cole’s colors suddenly changed, dulled. His expression hardened. “Come to me, darling.” There was a touch of impatience in his words as well as in his eyes.

Something was amiss. I stopped struggling, shook my head with distrust. My lover never called me ‘darling’. We had not yet been together. We did not have a son.

Now in grey, the dark-haired figure looked fixedly at me as if trying to understand. “Come to me and our son, Arwyn. Now.”

Shaking my head again, I inhaled sharply when a glint of metal shone from his closed, free hand. “What? No!”

“Come to us,” he demanded again as the aura around him was swallowed by the surrounding darkness, increasing my suspicion. “Or else.” I could not. I would not.

“Come. To. Us.” Hostility was evident. Looking wildly up and down the street, there was no one to be seen. No help. The imposter raised his arm above the sleeping infant, the object in his fist reflecting the dim light. “Don’t make me do this.”

“You _can’t_ be Cole,” I maintained resolutely. “He wouldn’t do that! That’s not our baby.” But it had to be _someone’s_ baby. “Please, _don’t!”_

His arm came down suddenly, and mine flashed out with a shuriken, propelling it toward his chest—and through it—wedging it between ice-covered bricks in the wall beyond where the now-vaporous figure had stood.

‘Cole’ and the baby had disappeared, leaving behind a drifting, black miasma.  

In agony, I shut out the sight. Cole was dead. There would never be a son of ours.

The wail of a hungry infant could be heard echoing hollowly up and down the street. Opening my eyes, I found myself on hands and knees on the steamy sidewalk, crying heartbrokenly and panting for breath.

The knuckles of my left hand were white as I gripped Zane’s second shuriken. Jay’s nunchuks were on the pavement by my side. The weight of Kai’s sword and Cole’s scythe pushed me down toward the ground.

_‘You **will** come to me, Arwyn. You will come one day soon. None you love are safe. None.’_

_Arwyn._   Arwyn. “Arwyn!”

Lloyd’s calling broke in between my sobs as he shook me awake by the shoulder. “Arwyn, you’re crying again! You can’t _possibly_ cry any _more!”_

_Actually, there’s no way I can stop._

But I was going to have to find a way. I was lying on my side on the dirty, wooden floor, facing Lloyd, when I was able to pry my eyes open. They felt so puffy and irritated, and my head ached so much, I just wanted to go back to sleep, to forget about everything. But then I’d probably dream again…

Pushing myself up to a sitting position next to Lloyd, my grimy, tearstained face must have shown how much I was feeling every one of the lash marks the crop-happy snake had given me earlier. “You’re hurting, aren’t you?” Hearing the pain in his voice almost made my own disappear.

Stiffly raising my arm to finger-comb my hair out of my face and to try to remove some of the sulphur, I reassured him, “I’m alright, honey.” I didn’t want him feeling any worse about the whole ordeal. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

_If only I could say the same about my tortured heart and soul…_

“But there’s blood on your shirt and pants!”

_I don’t really care. They could cut off my arms right now. They’re all superficial wounds compared to losing Cole…_

Choking down a growing lump in my throat, I tried to change the subject. “How long have I been sleeping?” From the angle of the sunlight through the narrow west-facing window, I figured it had to be close to sundown.

Lloyd rubbed his reddened eyes as he answered, “I don’t know. Right after you fell asleep crying, I must have, too.” He made a sour face. “I had this dream that started out great, but ended up as a nightmare. We were all at Mega Monster Amusement Park having loads of fun riding rides, playing games, eating fair food. Then, all of a sudden, I started getting really sick, and everything started changing how it looked, like a haunted-fun-house kind of thing.”

“You and Nya and the guys…” His lip trembled a little. “Even Cole and Zane…You all turned into Serpentine and told me that everything was poisoned, and then you started to chase me until I couldn’t run anymore. It was really scary! I finally woke up, and you were crying again.”

 _‘Everything was poisoned’. Just like **my** dream._ Drawing a shaky breath, I pushed my hair back from my face again. “Well, at least _that_ was only a dream.” _God, when will I wake up from **this** nightmare?_

“Yeah. At least…” Looking at me carefully, Lloyd frowned. “Where’s your other earring?”

My hands flew to my earlobes at his question. The right one was gone. “Oh, no! Cole’s earrings! I lost one! How did I _lose_ one?!” I looked around on the floor frantically, felt around in the collar of my jacket. I had so few keepsakes that he had given me. A few sketches and a haiku, besides the earrings. And now one was lost. Even worse, his love was lost.  

Blinking back more tears, I tried to focus on something else and took inventory of everything that was missing from my person. My comlink, helmet, all of my weapons, armor and scabbard were gone. My padded-leather vest and utility belt were the only things that the Serpentine had not bothered to remove, although they had emptied the latter of all my useful tools.

Checking quickly, I reassured myself that the homing beacon previously sewn to the back of my left breastplate was still nestled near my heart. Breathing a sigh of relief, I smiled weakly at Lloyd. “At least Jay and Kai will know where to find us.” After they found Cole and Zane…

A mental image of the condition in which they would find them thrust itself into my mind, making me gag with shock and grief. Unable to stop myself, I covered my face with both hands and gave in to more tears.

_We were sedated, unconscious. Cole and Zane were powerless, and the damn snakes cold-bloodedly **massacred** them like they were **nothing!**_

Lloyd’s hands were on my shoulders, his voice filled with concern. “Arwyn? I can’t understand you. What did you say?” I hadn’t realized I was speaking out loud. I had to get a hold of myself if I was going to be of any use to Lloyd.

“Nothing. Nothing, sweetie.” My pathetic attempt at a smile trembled as I touched his cheek, spurring him to lean in suddenly to be held. We were quiet for a moment before he asked hopefully against my shoulder, “Do you think he was really telling the truth? About Cole and Zane? Maybe they actually got away.”

My heart and my embrace tightened at his optimism. “I don’t know, Lloyd. I can’t imagine how they may have.” The hopeful thought _had_ sprung up, that perhaps they had _not_ been overcome by the gases and had fought their way out.

Zane was a nindroid, after all, and was not susceptible to all the weaknesses shared by humans. Cole _was_ susceptible, however. So, even if Zane had not fallen victim to the anesthesia, could he have protected himself _and_ Cole from an unknown number of bloodthirsty soldiers?

Not only that, but Cole’s words to me in the glade came back to haunt me. _By the time anything would happen to you, I’d already have been killed fighting to protect you._ He would never have willingly abandoned me, and something _had_ happened.

Swallowing hard, I separated from Lloyd, trying to seem stronger as Cole’s other words that evening came back to me. _If anything ever happens to me, **never** give up. **Ever.** There’s so much in Ninjago that’s more important than I am. _

I had strongly disagreed with him, but looking at Lloyd’s youthful, innocent face, I admitted to myself that there were many things for which I needed to fight. Without Cole by my side, I was going to have to learn to survive, to be my own hero as well as Lloyd’s, and finish what he had started, the crusade to protect Ninjago.  

Patting him on the cheek once more, I stood slowly and looked around the gloomy, stone-walled room. Apparently while we slept, we had been visited by our jailer. Near the door had appeared a bucket of water, a cup, and a covered tray. From the interest being given the tray by a greasy-looking resident of the tower of the order Rodentia, I was assuming it held food.

After accidentally on purpose electrocuting the nasty rat, Lloyd and I drank our fill of the well water and used a little to wash our hands and faces, saving the rest for drinking later.

I had no appetite, but inspected the food under the tray’s cover, something that looked like a stew of an unidentifiable meat, and tasted it for anything that might be toxic or putrid. It seemed harmless, albeit bland, so I pushed it in Lloyd’s direction. “Here, Lloyd, eat as much as you want. I can’t.”

Rising and walking the few steps to the only exit, I heard him behind me, “I’m really hungry, but I don’t want to take your food, too.”

With my hand on the door’s handle, I looked back at him resignedly. “If you don’t, the rats will.”

Pulling hard on the aged door handle caused the ancient lock to give way, revealing our two scaly sentries left to prevent our early departure who leapt to attention in surprise on the landing and pointed a serrated scimitar and spear at me.

 _Speaking of rats…_ They started to hiss their threats, but I didn’t let them finish, slamming the door in their disgusting faces. _Whatever._

While Lloyd nibbled at the barely palatable foodstuff, I wandered around the circular chamber, investigating every nook and cranny in the shadowy place.

The floor and ten-foot ceiling were of wood, most of it original, although some of the more rotten flooring had been replaced recently by the snakes. They had _not_ covered most of the holes in the roof, however, probably not caring that we would be exposed to the elements, or assuming that ten feet was too tall for us to reach. _Yeah, right_.

The four windows were set in four-foot-wide alcoves in the approximately ten-foot-thick walls. Three feet from the floor and four feet tall, the narrow openings to the outside were less than a foot wide, the stones tapered on the sides. Too small for the passage of an average man, they were mainly made for the protection and use of archers defending the castle.

Putting my head out, my shoulders were too wide to get through without turning sideways, but I could see that all of the windows opened over nothing but about sixty feet of open air. None opened onto the wall walk, although the west and south windows were close, at only about ten feet away.

 _Not_ a safe way out. **_I_** may be able to slip through and manage to get handholds to scale the tower, but _Lloyd_ had not really climbed anything tougher than the anchor chain of the _Bounty_. I couldn’t take that chance with him.

I guesstimated the wall walk to be about ten or twelve feet wide. This was the flat, crenelated top of the forty-to-fifty-foot-tall parapet which surrounded the castle and served as its inner wall or curtain. The whole castle was of a square, concentric design, basically a box within a box, the outer curtain being only half as high and not as thick as the inner, all of stone-and-mortar construction.

Four towers stood at the four corners of the inner square. Lloyd and I were in the northeast one, which may have originally been the prison tower, since it had no doorways to the wall walk, unlike the northwest and southwest towers. I couldn’t visualize the southeast tower with the humongous, five-story gatehouse in the way, which was just across from the outer curtain’s drawbridge.

A damp chill was setting in as the sun fell, and I shivered as I observed all I could from each window. The tower had no source of heat, but I could see chimney smoke coming from a couple of spots on top of the gatehouse, which would have held the somewhat-comfortable apartments of the lords and ladies of the castle. I speculated that the generals and their favorites were probably staying in those.

Directly across from the gatehouse was the keep. Here would have been the great hall, kitchen, chapel, and other, smaller, apartments. Serpentine could be seen moving in and out of the keep and all about the inner ward or courtyard, which also held several of their vehicles. It was difficult to figure how many warriors might be here, but I was wagering on anywhere from thirty to sixty.

Nothing about this was going to be easy. Jay and Kai were definitely going to have their work cut out for them, and I was going to be of very little help through most of it. I may be able to escape on my own by taking a lot of serious risks, but I had Lloyd to consider, and his safety was my first priority. The snakes already knew this and were using it to their advantage.

Losing more hope by the minute, I slumped against the eastern window’s jamb and stared out miserably, hugging my arms against the cold and my overwhelming sadness. Below me, the water-filled moat surrounding the outer wall was visible, the first obstacle of many against anyone attempting to infiltrate this dismal, isolated fortress.

But before they even reached the citadel, our rescuers had to cross the craggy, desolate, and open moor with only a few, small copses of trees which afforded little in the way of protection from vigilant eyes. They then had to conquer each layer of defense that had been set up long ago by brilliant military strategists and had probably successfully stood the test of other invaders.

The castle was ancient and had begun to deteriorate, but the Serpentine had apparently tried to reinforce what had begun to fall, making this an impressive bastion for their use. Worry for my remaining ninja brothers creased my forehead and added to the pain in my already-aching heart.

Looking out over the rocky, heather-covered moor, my thoughts centered again on Cole. Every moment since I’d met him had been a blessing to me, but I hadn’t been able to savor and appreciate it, taking it for granted, or hoping, anyway, that he’d always be there with me. The world had suddenly grown so cold, and it had nothing to do with the impending nightfall or the weather.

I thought back to the last time I had been in Cole’s arms. It had been just this morning, but seemed like almost a lifetime ago. We were in his father’s lovely garden, after I’d told him about Keiji’s assault on me.

He had at first trembled with rage from the knowledge, but had then been so unbelievably compassionate and comforting, caressing my face with such tenderness, embracing me with such gentle strength, whispering to me words of love. With certainty, he had reassured me that something like that would never happen to me again so long as he could help it.

I could have stayed with him like that forever. I hadn’t wanted to go back to the house, but after a long while, Zane had come out to check on us, so we had grudgingly headed in to rejoin everyone.

Zane. Such a dear friend and brother to Cole and to me. If it had to happen at all, it gave me some solace to know that they had been together, that neither had died alone.

I also thought of someone else who would be mourning my brother in white. Sofiya would be as devastated over losing him as I was over losing Cole. I hoped Jay and Kai didn’t tell her right away. I wanted to be with her when she learned the horrifying news, to console her, the way I wished she was consoling me.

I’m not sure how long I stood at the window, but dusk was beginning to blanket the moor and castle when I felt a hand on my arm. Looking down at Lloyd through dewy eyes, I noticed that he, too, was feeling the cold.

Gathering him to me for warmth as well as comfort, I heard him say, “I’ve heard that people can die of a broken heart. Please don’t do that.”

I glanced out the window one more time as I held him. “…I’ll try not to.”

 _[mi cuore=_ my heart]

CAIRNS AND FORTRESSES REGION

****Cole’s POV**

The comlink on my wrist shuddered impatiently, jarring me away from my fretting over Arwyn and Lloyd and whatever real or imagined torture they may be enduring at the hands of the Serpentine. It also alerted me that it was necessary to jerk the steering wheel of my Spinjitzu vehicle to get the right-side tires back onto the rutted, unpaved path that served as a road before I was unintentionally blazing my own trail. Again.

Kai and I had been traveling northeast for about an hour and a half as fast as the terrain would safely allow, and my impatience grew as we ate up the miles. Checking my in-dash radar, we still had about another forty-five miles before we got good into the Plain of Desolate Castles and near our target fortress.

The entire drive I had tormented myself with worry for Arwyn and Lloyd. I just couldn’t shut my mind off, knowing there was no limit to what the snakes may be doing to their prisoners. On the _Bounty_ , they had brazenly spit their venom into Arwyn’s face right in front of Kai and me as we had stood by and watched helplessly until it was too late.

What more might they be doing without us there to defend her? As a member of the ninja team, she would be a target for their vengeance. As a wielder of our elements, she would be seen as an instrument to be used in whatever vile way they chose.

Was she being tortured in any way? Hypnotized and reprogrammed? Bitten and changed into a scaly, disfigured version of the woman I held so dear? How much had she already suffered, and would I be able to reverse the damage? When I’d held her in my father’s garden this morning, had I held her for the last time?

While they may be tempted to mistreat Lloyd, it was unlikely to happen. I was not as concerned about his wellbeing since I knew they intended to strike a deal of some sort with Garmadon. Hurting him in any way would only bring down the thunder from the Dark Lord. But I still agonized that the young boy was being subjected to so much violence and exploitation when he should be safe and sound at home playing games.

The glow of Kai’s flares to my left had me glancing guiltily toward him as he pulled up beside me on the Blade Cycle before I tried to concentrate on the road ahead. I tapped the comlink button to answer him. “Hey.”

“You’re driftin’ again, chief, and the Tread Assault’s gettin’ a flicker!” His wind-muffled shout crackled to me in the cockpit. “You’ve done that several times in the past hour or so! Are you fallin’ asleep in there? God knows _I’m_ bored enough.”

 _Damn, I was hoping he didn’t pick up on that._ Figuring he could still see me well enough through the clear canopy, even though the sun was dipping below the western horizon, I gave him a reassuring thumbs-up and tried to sound like nothing was wrong.

“No, it’s all good! I’m great! No problem.” Maybe I was overdoing it. “Just thinking too much.” That was an understatement. A fair amount of dizziness and nausea was also sticking with me, but I wasn’t gonna admit _that_ to him.

The inferno on wheels rode steadily alongside me. “Yeah. I’m sure worrying about Arwyn and Lloyd is tearing you apart. I’m stewing, too, and I’d probably be homicidal if I were in your boots…Hell, I’m about there now…” I never said I _wasn’t_. I planned on cutting a wide swathe through the entire Serpentine army to get to my family if I had to do so.

He laughed self-consciously before going on. “I know this is gonna sound hypocritical, but I’m gonna say it anyway. You’re gonna have to be extra careful tonight. You might be alive and kickin’, but I don’t think you’re as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as you claim to be.”

I started to cut in with an argument, but he kept on. “And I just invested a lot of time and energy, not to mention totally sacrificing my frickin’ _dignity_ , defrosting you! Don’t go and waste it!”

Shaking my head with a small smile under my mask, I looked over at him. “I won’t, firebug. And thanks again for taking one for the team and helping me out.”

“Eh, don’t mention it! I was just trying to keep you with us so one of the other guys doesn’t try to take over and be my boss! Course, I did it for Arwyn, too…I couldn’t have her trying to steal me away from Renata if you weren’t around, ya know?” He gave me a suggestive wiggle of his brows from across the dusty lane.

I snorted cynically. “That’d _never_ happen. Arwyn’s standards are way too high for her to _ever_ put up with _your_ crap.”

“Oh, excuse _me_ , but are you saying you’re _better_ than I am, and only _you_ can meet her standards? Pssh! I _could_ challenge that, if you’d like, pour on the irresistible charm! It wouldn’t take much to have her all over me, begging for some hot, fire-ninja lovin’.”

He had me laughing my ass off in the cockpit. First of all, an _army_ of Kais couldn’t take Arwyn from me now that I knew exactly how she felt about me…

My flame-retardant brother continued to be delusional. “I could probably do it with one hand tied behind my back! I bet I could even juggle two girlfriends, one on the _Bounty,_ one in Ninjago City…”

I rolled my eyes involuntarily. “Bitch, _please!_ You can barely handle two-step directions.”    

“That’s not true!” Kai acted insulted. “It’s _three_ -part instructions I have problems with. As for the girls, I just couldn’t have ‘em talking to each other and comparing notes…”

“You mean plotting your _death!_ Just _try_ to date two women at once and see how fast you’d be pushing up daisies. At the very least, you’d be _neutered.”_ I flipped my headlights on as the dusk settled in, making it harder to see the sorry excuse for a road.

“Oh, ye of little faith. What makes _you_ such an expert that you doubt I could keep two women happy, _and_ oblivious, at the same time?”

“I don’t have to be a genius to know strong-willed women are not to be screwed with!” I thought of how the two we lived with had threatened to get Kai where it would hurt the most when he had accused them of the pranking, and how his sister so easily manipulated Jay. Of course, Jay was sometimes easily manipulated anyway.

“Then there’s your quick temper, the way you always think you’re right, the way you never listen to anyone, your short attention span, not a romantic bone in your body…” I took a breather. “This list could get longer if we had more time. Come to think of it, I guess a future lawyer is just the right woman for you.”

“Should Renata be offended by that?”

“Not if she likes frequent sparring matches and can put up with _you_.” As I spoke, my comlink vibrated again with another call. “Kai, I’m gonna cut you off to talk to Jay.” Punching a key, I hurriedly opened the communication to the Storm Fighter’s pilot. “Jay, what’s happening?”

The tiny speaker filled the cockpit with his animated voice. “Hey, commandant! The Good Humor Man and I’ve been circling the plains at ten thousand feet for the better part of an hour doing some test drops since we still had too much light when we got here. Just wanted to let you know that we’ll be executing the real deal in about twenty minutes. Now that the sun has set, we should be able to glide in under cover of darkness by that time.”

Feeling my stomach turn at the thought of what the lightning and ice ninja were about to attempt on this rescue mission, I tried to squelch it and sound as easygoing as possible. “So, how’s the Iceman handling all of that?” Zane was just like Arwyn about not wanting his feet any higher than the deck of the _Bounty_ , making a statement once that it was not meant for men to ride with clouds between their knees.

“Oh, he’s bucking up fairly well.” His jovial tone downplayed the seriousness of the situation. “So pale he’s almost translucent, but I’ve only heard one high-pitched whine, and he hasn’t lost his lunch yet, so we’re good.”

“Good deal, guys. Then keep your heads down low, don’t let ‘em know we’re coming, and…just please be careful.” I had to ease my grip on the steering wheel before I bent it. “I’d like us all to be having lunch on the _Bounty_ tomorrow.”

“Eh! It’s a sure thing, my fearless leader! Don’t worry your pretty little head about it!” I was almost convinced by his confident note. Then he lowered his voice and included a P.S. in an unusual, less-than-cheery tone. “But, just in case, there’s a letter for Nya that’s tucked under my mattress, okay?”

I inhaled deeply before answering solemnly, “Gotcha covered, bro.”

Snapping back into his normal, zany disposition, he exclaimed, “Good! Then this is IN…THE… _BAG!_ We’ll be giving Lloyd noogies and have you smooching on Arwyn again in _no_ time!” His positive attitude was almost infectious. “We are at T-minus fifteen minutes and counting! Ready back there, my stone-cold _brotha?”_

After he addressed Zane, I heard nothing for a moment before Jay came back on. “He’s loving this, he just doesn’t want me to know it. Anyhoo, I’ll sign off now before I get us up over the castle’s air space. Contact us when you and Kai are on foot. We should have a little more info for you by then.”

After finishing up with him, I sent up a little prayer for the safety of my two brothers in the sky, adding it to the dozens I’d already said for my soul’s mate and Wu’s nephew.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dude, if this chapter was actually READ, please let me know....


	31. Operation Blue-Footed Booby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue mission to retrieve Sensei's Wu's family from the Castle of Poisoned Dreams begins with Jay and Zane executing the lightning ninja's cockamamie plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMGGGGG!!!!!!!! I broke one thousand hits!!! Awesome!! But how many are actually reading this chapter? I haven't a clue, although I'd love to know.... Let me know if you're enjoying this!

TROPOSPHERE OVER THE CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Jay’s POV**

“T-minus four minutes, Zane! Just about ready to roll?” Over my shoulder, in the soft light of the jet’s instrument panel, I could just make out Zane’s form as he readjusted the hand-made straps of the bulky glider’s harness around his chest and waist.  

Sighing, he returned, “I believe I am ready any time you are, Jay. I shall be more than happy to get my feet on the ground once again.”

“Aww, c’mon, Zane! This’s been _fun_ , admit it!” He ignored me, but I wasn’t hurt by it. “Okay, fine, be like that.” Examining the gauges on the instrument panel, I tried to prepare him again. “Alrighty, then. The plan is that in a couple of minutes, at ten thousand feet, I cut the engines, and we glide ‘til we get over the castle, then nosedive to about 500 feet. At that point, I dispel the Storm Fighter, and we tuck and roll! Got it?”

“Literally or figuratively ‘tuck and roll’?” I should’ve known a phrase like that would send the nindroid off on a tangent. “Because, after studying Merlin’s flight patterns, I would think that our best maneuver when we are subjected to the rush of the open air, especially at that velocity, would be to aim downward in a dive before expanding the glider wings, thereby lessening the force to which this questionable material is subjected.”

Shaking my head with a roll of my eyes, I tried to be patient. “Figuratively, Zane. You’re right, we should go headfirst, then the wings can catch the air currents more gradually. Just don’t wait long before extending them! No more than a couple of seconds, or you’re gonna become an actual snow angel in the courtyard!”

“I understand. I believe I can accomplish this. And I am hoping that your hastily-fashioned composition of bamboo and landscape fabric holds up to the stressors to which it is about to be exposed.” _You and me both!_

Trying to bolster my own courage as well as Zane’s, I good-naturedly objected to his doubt about my workmanship. “Geez, Zane, gimme a little credit here! Have you ever known me to do shoddy work?”

He actually had the audacity to start to answer that. “Well, there was—”

_“Seriously_ , Zane? On something _important?”_ I had to defend myself on this point. “I know what you’re gonna say, and I only half-assed that one because I wanted to give _Nya_ a chance to fix it and take the praise for it!”

“If you say so…” He didn’t sound like he believed that.

I double-checked my own straps and the rest of the glider that pushed me forward in my seat. Eyeing the radar, I nodded. “Okay, this is it, Zane.” The rushing of the air past the jet around us was the only sound as I shut off the engines, and we went into a glide, swiftly approaching our dive point.

Taking a deep breath as I watched the radar for the right spot for us to begin our ninety-degree descent, I had one more thing to say. “I just want you to know, if this doesn’t work, I’m sorry ahead of time. The last couple of years’ve been great knowing you and fighting beside you, and…I love you, man.”

I didn’t know if he had heard me for a few seconds, but then my snow buddy spoke up behind me. “…This had _better_ work, Jay, or I will somehow gather myself together to return and kill you…again. And I love you, too, my brother.”

Grinning broadly, I put my hand palm-up over my shoulder and felt him grasp it for a brief shake. We were seconds away from taking the plunge. “Are you gonna tell Sofiya about this one?” Nya was probably gonna kick my ass later for risking my life with this stunt.

“I hope to be able to do so if I wish,” was Zane’s response. Thinking of Nya— _I love you, babe_ —I clutched the Fighter’s controls and pushed them forward, sending us plunging toward the Castle of Poisoned Dreams.

“Alright, buddy! We’re coming up quick on five thousand feet!” I shouted to Zane behind me for two reasons: I wanted to be sure he could hear me over the noisy gale around us, and I was trying to cover up the deafening galloping of my heart.

“When I dispel the Fighter, we’ll only have about ten seconds before making a sudden, last stop! They don’t call it terminal for nothing! End of the line!” I was sweating like I was running through the sand at two PM in August. On Venus.

“Remember to keep your head down, open those wings, and make for the lights!” I could see the tiny pinpoints of possible campfires and torches appearing through the windshield.

Zane’s voice was well-controlled, with barely a quiver, as he shouted back, “It amazes me how you seem to be _enjoying_ all of this when you get so _whiny_ on the _Bounty_ when a storm ensues and any turbulence is present.”

“That’s because we could fall _off_ of the _Bounty!”_

“And, yet, we are falling _now!”_

“Oh…Yeah…heh, I guess you’re right!” My laugh was a little shaky, making me want to kick myself. “Two thousand feet, Zane!…Fifteen hundred!…One thousand!…Here we _go!”_

Dispelling the Spinjitzu jet from around us as I shouted, I was _not_ prepared for the abrupt slap in the face and chest I got from the tremendous amount of air resistance, which was like nothing I had ever experienced. Jumping off the _Bounty_ , or even the floating city, was a piece of cake compared to this.

The force felt like ten Category-5 hurricanes hitting me at once, knocking—no, _sucking_ —the breath from me, and forcing my head and upper body upward and back, sending me flipping through the air. Even falling out of my jet the first time I flew it wasn’t as bad as this. I don’t know how I didn’t lose my helmet, the glider, or my hold on my nunchuks.

_SHHEEIIIITT!!_ For a second, my mind was a blank, except for various cuss words, which weren’t solving my current problem. I got control of my mind and, after two or three flips, my body—thankfully, _never_ losing control of my bladder—and was able to get myself facing downward again.

When I started to pull up and out on the glider’s wings, I was wishing I was the earth ninja, or that I had at least not cheated on the last few sets of pushups I was supposed to have done during training. I was finding it a bit tough to extend the wings before the wind caught the landscape fabric and helped me out by jerking the glider fully open.  

_FRRIIIICKK!!_ That’s when I wondered if I might have a problem walking later with my knuckles dragging the ground. I swear my shoulders felt like they were pulling apart for a moment there! But, I was successfully _gliding!_

Forcing myself to open my eyes again, since they had slammed shut on their own somewhere between four-hundred- and three-hundred-thirty-five-feet elevation, I tried to get my bearings. The lights of the castle were a little too far to my right. I was going to land on the rocky moor at this rate.

Pulling hard on the wing strap I clenched in my right hand, I willed myself back on target, closer to my destination. Although the moon was new, I could make out the tops of the wide, toothed walls, mostly from the various small fires burning around the inner courtyard and light here and there from the narrow windows.

The inside wall of the double-walled castle was approaching at a pretty good clip, and I _knew_ that I was not gonna be able to slow down or stop easily. Bracing myself, I tried lowering my feet, pushing them forward, and leaning back a bit.

The sharp pain that shot through the outside of my right lower leg when I caught my heel on the outer raised parts of the top of the wall almost had me yelling—more cuss words, of course—but I was able to keep quiet by biting my lip. I just don’t care for the taste of blood. Especially my own.

The next point of impact was the inner raised teeth on the opposite side of the thick wall. After hitting my foot, I lowered my shoulder to go into a roll and rammed the uneven stones with my upper back and hooded helmet, coming to rest in a throbbing heap.

Guess I shouldn’t have complained. If it hadn’t been for that jagged wall, my next stop would’ve been forty feet down in the courtyard. I also hadn’t landed with a splat like a bug on a windshield, so, hey, I was doing great!

After catching my breath and surveying the walkway for Serpentine, I tried in vain to untie the glider straps— _question **my** creation, will ya?—_ finally cutting them with my kunai before getting to my feet.

_Holy **cah-RAAP**!!_ It was soon discovered that my lower right leg hurt a smidge when I tried to take a step, so I figured it was best to use a few long strips of the glider’s fabric to do a little wrap job around my foot, ankle, and calf for some support and stability.

Once that was accomplished, I took a peek around to see what I was up against. By the stars, I was on the parapet of the north inner wall which had a tower at each end of it. The towers were probably around one hundred seventy feet apart. The one on the northwest corner looked to have a door into it from the walkway, but the northeast turret didn’t.

Of the four battlements at each corner of the square castle, the northeast tower was also the only one with any light coming from the very narrow windows, then only those on the top floor. The spacious gatehouse on the east side of the fortification and the keep on the west also had lighted windows and smoke curling from the chimneys.

The keep that opened onto the large courtyard below was a hub of activity, with a considerable amount of noise and reptiles coming and going in and out of it. _Hmm, must be suppertime for the snakes. Wonder if they’re having a side of white or brown mice with their baked rat?_

But, I couldn’t be worrying about the menu at their little soiree. I hadn’t yet caught sight of Zane, and like the good little ninja he was, I probably wouldn’t. In addition, I didn’t yet know where the Serpentine were keeping their prisoners, and I had a job to do.

As far as that last one, I noted several items of special interest to me parked in the wide inner ward between the gatehouse and the keep. They were just _beggin’_ for a little tamperin’. I rubbed my black-gloved hands together in anticipation. _Now, are the engines diesel- or gasoline-powered?_

In order to finish up my exam of the place, I scooted to the north side of the parapet, and eyed the area between the outer and inner walls. It was about twenty feet wide and vacant except for a couple of more vehicles that apparently wouldn’t fit in the courtyard.

On the far side of the outer wall, I caught the glint of starlight on water. A moat. I giggled. _Hope Cole and Kai brought their floaties and an extra change of underwear!_

Thinking of my leader, a glance at the time on my comlink had me figuring that I had last contacted Cole almost thirty-five minutes ago. It wouldn’t be long before he’d be bugging me and Zane for information as he and the short-fused one made landing a couple of miles from this ancient pile of rock.

_Better get to work. But, first things first._ I tapped my chin thoughtfully. _If I were holding a couple of people I thought were kinda important, where would I keep them in a castle without making them too comfortable?_

Looking over at the lighted turret, I mused, _Hmm, a prince and a princess might keep nicely at the top of a prison tower._ The use of that analogy made me chuckle. Arwyn would wanna slap me for making that comparison. She already had a problem with the protection thing. She certainly wouldn’t want me referring to her as Rapunzel.

Curiosity finally bumped off the cat as a I lowered my head and limped silently and swiftly toward the northeast tower, ignoring the pain. I had to see what was up there. Reaching the curved wall of rough-hewn stone and mortar, I took a quick look around before turning my gaze upward to see Arwyn’s head and green-garbed arm poking through the offset window, waving at me.

Not surprised that she had known I was here, I leaned on the walk’s low retaining wall to be a little closer to the west-facing window from which she waved, which was set over open space, about ten feet up.

“Jay! I am _so_ happy to see you!” Her extremely-relieved whisper was just loud enough for me to make it out. “I _thought_ that was your static! I can’t believe you’re here already!”

It relieved _me_ to see her looking so healthy. I beamed up at her. “Are you kidding me? As soon as Kai and I got the SOS, we headed right over! How are you and Lloyd doing?”

She made a face and shrugged. “We’re okay, considering. Is Kai here, too?”

I scoffed a mite with a wave of my hand. “Ah, you know how slow that motorcycle is compared to the Storm Fighter! He’ll be here eventually!” I glanced quickly around me. “But Zane’s here with me somewhere. I hope.”

Strangely, Arwyn stiffened, grabbing the edge of the window as she gaped down at me, breathing, “Zane?!” Her whisper changed to a high-pitched squeak _. “He’s alive?!_

“Shhh!!” Gesturing quickly, I held a finger to my lips as my other hand went up to quiet her. After checking over my shoulder for any sign the Serpentine had become more alert, I turned back to my teammate. “Well, I can’t vouch for that since we jumped from the jet, but, yeah, he was a few minutes ago.” I cocked my head in question. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

Hesitating momentarily, Arwyn finally responded with a mournful look and an odd catch in her voice. “…I was told…he and…Cole…”

I grimaced at the memory of the ice and earth ninja’s recent ordeal. “Ooh, yeah…Cole _was_ put on ice…But, that’ll _all_ be okay, and at least Zane got out without a problem!” She frowned down hard at me as I casually flipped my hand, trying to blow it off, and gave her a reassuring grin.

_Geez, she’s so sensitive! Maybe she’s concerned that something vital of Cole’s has been frostbitten. Better change the subject._ “Anyhow, down to business. What’s the status in there?”

The damsel in the tower still seemed a bit distressed, but she focused on my last question. “Um, there’s no real way out the windows safely for Lloyd, and the rotten roof is ten feet up with a few open spaces.”

Her voice seemed to get a little stronger as she continued with her report. “There’s only one door to a landing with two guards and a spiral staircase. There may be more guards at the bottom.”

“When I raised a ruckus with the snakes at the door over having no heat or blankets, two more came up to see what was going on.” She ended with the reason she hadn’t run off on her own already. “And they’re threatening to hurt Lloyd if I act up.”

My head bobbed in understanding. “Great! Thanks for the info! Alright, I hate to leave you and Lloyd, but I’ve got to take care of the snakes’ vehicles before we can really get going here. Will you two be good staying put for a while longer?”

Even in the darkness, Arwyn appeared a lot more depressed than I would have expected her to be when she was about to be rescued, but she nodded. “Yeah, Jay, just…please be careful.”

I snapped her a perfect salute. “Will do!” Oddly, she didn’t return the gesture like she usually would have. _What the heck?_ “Hey, keep your chin up. We’ll have you both out of there lickety-split!” She simply nodded again, then ducked out of sight, so I limped off to find a way down to begin my incapacitating.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_Oh, my Lord. Did he actually say **‘put on ice’,** like it was nothing? Surely he didn’t mean to be so callous about Cole’s death! _I backed away from the window with an agonizing pain in my upper abdomen, astonished. Was Jay just avoiding the issue, being unwilling to get me more worked up than he already thought I’d be?

_Cole was lost, but Zane is well. I have to remember that, and we all need to concentrate on getting out of here safely._

Lloyd spoke up hopefully behind me. “Were you right? Was that really Jay? Did I hear you say Zane was okay?”

I straightened up my miserable expression before turning around to face him. “Yeah, sweetie. He said Zane’s here somewhere, and Kai’s on the way. We’ll be out of here in no time.” My attempt at optimism and enthusiasm was a little feeble.

“But, Cole…” He didn’t finish, and I could see his lip quivering in the low light from the torches. I shook my head slowly and, with outstretched arms, offered, as well as requested, another hug. This was going to be the first of many long and lonely nights.

MOOR, TWO MILES SOUTH OF THE CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS, FIVE MINUTES LATER

****Cole’s POV**

“Are we _there_ yet?!”

Frustrated, I gritted my teeth as Kai’s annoying bellyaching came over the comlink— _For the third time in ten minutes…_ —and I eyeballed a mark on the Tread Assault’s radar where I wanted us to stop. _Like I’m not anxious enough…_

Punching the keypad a little roughly, I growled, “Would you _shut **up**?!_    We’ll stop when we get there!” Slamming on the brakes, I added, “Like _now!”_

An instant later, we had transformed our Spinjitzu vehicles and were standing on the pitch-black moor with our weapons in hand, being buffeted by a cool, damp breeze, waiting for our eyes to adjust to the lack of light.

I couldn’t see the Dragon-Sword wielder very well, but I could definitely hear his griping. “Whew! _Finally!_ After more than two hours, I was gettin’ a blister on my butt! We didn’t even stop for a bathroom break, you know that, don’t you?”

_“I_ didn’t need to go, and _you_ shouldn’t have drunk so much tea before we left.” Under my breath, I mumbled to myself, “I swear, it's like I work with toddlers.”

Scanning the cloudless sky, I noted that there was a new moon, making it really dark, with no other source of illumination in this remote region except for the starlight. At any rate, I was thankful for that. We could easily stay hidden and going in the right direction, but it would still be difficult to travel at a run over uneven ground that we couldn’t see.

Digging a penlight out of the leather pouch on my belt, I flicked it on and spoke in Kai’s direction. “I’m contacting Jay and Zane. Do what you gotta do, and meet me up ahead.”

“Aww, you’re not gonna hold the light for me?” I could hear the teasing grin in his question before I aimed the thin, laser-like beam of the tiny flashlight directly into his eyes.

I smirked when he squinted and jerked his face out of the light. “You need me to hold anything else? Make your own light, tinderbox.” Picking up a small branch from the ground under my boot, I tossed it at him. “Here’s a twig to rub against the one you’ve already got.”

“Hey! You haven’t even _seen_ mine! Although you’ve shown _yours_ to everybody.”

Shaking my head, knowing I didn’t have an argument, I walked away from him as I started a text to the lightning and ice ninja, something they could receive and return without blowing their cover.

_[On foot. Contact ASAP.]_

While I waited for a response from my reconnaissance crew, and for Kai to finish his potty break, I studied the collection of bright constellations in the star-studded, late-spring sky.

Although they had still been visible over a month ago, while we had talked and stargazed for the first few times on the _Bounty’s_ deck, Arwyn’s two long-time favorites, Orion and the Pleiades, were no longer observable at this time of year.

Ignoring the traditional, tragic mythology, she had later said that the hunter-warrior’s star grouping, not Hercules, now made her think of me, brave and strong and overseeing the tight family of stars in the constellation of Taurus. Technically, the compact cluster was known as the Seven Sisters, but to Arwyn, it represented the rest of the _Bounty’s_ seven residents.

I wondered at what point we’d all be in our overall objective when she and I were able to enjoy seeing Orion and the Pleiades once again in the ebony dome above us. A serene smile came to my lips as I reflected on how romantic her reasoning about ordinary things could be and how she was making me think in more romantic terms every day.

But, my pondering was rudely interrupted when Kai materialized from the blackness around me and stuck his hand near my face, a small orange-and-yellow flame dancing in it, making me draw back reflexively.

“Wake up, daydreamer.” His lips quirked as the glow emitted by the chemical reaction in his palm moved small shadows over his features. I resisted the urge to blow it out just to irk him. “What’re you thinking about?”

Pivoting away from him, I cleared my throat, not wanting to start more moaning about Arwyn, especially to Kai. “Just wondering what’s up with Jay and Zane. I’m getting a little worried since they haven’t responded yet.”

In reality, I was more than a _little_ worried now that I’d been pulled from the distraction of my contemplation of the night sky. I was wishing I had told them to contact _me_ when they made landing instead of waiting until Kai and I began traveling on foot when my comlink vibrated, prompting a sigh of relief from me that at least one of my brothers had probably made it down safely.

Pushing the key to read the texted response, I saw it was Zane.

_[Barely landed safely on gatehouse. Will speak to Jay about shoddy work._ _Gatehouse is snakes’ den. Party in great hall. Have not found them.]_

I smiled at Zane’s precise spelling and punctuation on a text until I came to his last bit of information. He didn’t say where he was, but he hadn’t found Arwyn and Lloyd yet, making me scowl. As glad as I was that Zane was safe, it did nothing for my nerves to have no knowledge of our missing loved ones’ conditions.

Now I had to wait to find out if Jay’s ‘shoddy work’ had held up for _him_.

“’Sup?” Kai was looking over my shoulder with his fuel-less lamp as I sent to Zane that I’d gotten his message.

I summed it up quickly. “Zane’s down okay. The snakes roost in the gatehouse, and they must be celebrating their temporary victory.” My tone was clipped as I moved past him and began our hike north. “Maybe we’ll get even luckier, and they’ll be drunk when we get there.”

“What about Arwyn and Lloyd?” He fell into step beside me right away.

“No word yet.” I think he could tell that I didn’t really want to discuss that any further, because he kept quiet as we started our lope toward the castle.

Well, he was kinda quiet.

“Are we there yet?” I didn’t bother to respond the first time, concentrating on the horizon and the feeling of the irregular ground under my boots, hoping I didn’t run into a tree or break an ankle.

“Are we there yet?” The second time, three minutes later, I managed to ignore him again, wishing Jay would call back, struggling not to give in to unsubstantiated worry for Arwyn and Lloyd, and trying to outrun Kai, who stayed at my elbow.

Three and a half minutes after the second time, he repeated it a third time. “Are we _there_ yet?” _That’s_ when I almost snapped, digging my heels into the heather and coming to a sudden stop.

_“Ohmigod!_ I’m gonna _kill_ you before we get to the castle!” Activating the penlight with my thumb, I shone it in his face as he lit his palm. “Then I’m gonna tell the other two that I have _no idea_ what happened, that you were just being your usual, aggravating self, and I blacked out, and when I came to, you were _gone!”_

He was grinning like an ass while I shook a finger at him. “And they’ll corroborate that when we get back home ‘cause they’ll _totally_ understand that it was justifiable homicide!”

The fire ninja just stood there and laughed lightly as I finished my rant with a shake of my head. With a hand on his hip, he stated with satisfaction, “Got your mind off of the reason for our mission for a minute, didn’t I?” Glaring at him a moment, my attention was suddenly pulled to the comlink vibrating on my wrist.

_[sory dis is l8 busy snake didnt wnt me near wel por timmy fel n lassie didnt cum 2 res q stil wrkng tlked 2 rwyn]_

I hated texting with Jay, but he was alright, and he had found Arwyn! I almost did a fist pump, but checked myself in front of Kai, who was reading over my shoulder.

“What’s that about Lassie and a well?” He was as confused as I was.

“Not a clue. We’ll ask when we get there,” I answered as I tapped out a response.

_[gr8! Is she ok?]_

_[upset bt k]_

That brought a frown to my face. I’d hoped she wouldn’t give in so easily if she was in a bad situation. Or was there something _else_ that was wrong? I shook my head. I couldn’t think like that.

We had to get there soon, and it would be helpful for Kai and me to get an idea about the terrain the rest of the way to the castle. I sent Jay a request.

_[About a mile away. Could u make lite 2 get bearings?]_

_[tal ordr capitan]_

_[u cant?]_

_[DIDNT say dat]_

I knew his pride would get things done. Within half a minute, a magnificent bolt of lightning flashed in the sky far above the castle, lighting the countryside for miles around. In the couple of seconds it brightened the moor, Kai and I could see the fortress and a clear shot to it from our position.

_[XLNT where is Arwyn?]_

_[tower caL wen u git hEr]_

Ending the communique with Jay, and remembering the bumping against my upper thigh as I was running, I reached into my pants pocket, and pulled out Arwyn’s phone. Pressing the power button, I turned off the device and placed it in my leather pouch.

We may not have reception out here, but I couldn’t take the chance and have her mom calling in the middle of a fight or something. What could I tell her then, that we were watching a movie?  

Turning in the direction of the castle, I started the last leg of our journey at a trot, with Kai following directly behind me. “One mile left. Let’s get there.”

“Okay.” He ran up alongside me. “But keep in mind that you don’t have to try to take out all of these bastards on your own. I’ll be riding shotgun, and I want a piece of the action, so leave some for me.”

“We’ll see.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Namaste!


	32. Storming the Castle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Masters reunite for the rescue of Arwyn and Lloyd, and Cole makes an alarming discovery.

BACK AT THE CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS…

****Jay’s POV**

Leaving Arwyn, I was a little confused about her current mood, since she was usually a lot cheerier and laid-back.  Of course, today she had also been ambushed, gassed, put to sleep, forcibly taken away from her family, and imprisoned in a cold and crappy tower.  With Lloyd.  I guess I couldn’t blame her for the long face. 

Still, as I gingerly descended to the inner ward to begin monkeying with the troops’ vehicles, I felt like something wasn’t quite right with her.  I realized that she hadn’t immediately asked about Cole, when the first thing out of _my_ mouth would have been to ask about Nya. 

Maybe they had had a little spat, and she was still pissed at him.  Cole hadn’t said anything about something like that while we were at his dad’s house, but, then again, he probably wouldn’t have admitted that to all the guys, anyway. 

Heaven knew when Nya got angry with _me_ , I wasn’t _about_ to broadcast the fact that I had done or said something stupid and had _her_ on the warpath.  I just went about my merry, little way, and groveled and kissed her butt until I fixed my asinine mistake and everything was good again. 

I had learned early on that butting heads with Nya was a lose-lose situation for me.  _Now_ she could say the sky was plaid, and I was gonna totally agree with her.  _Not_ fighting with her didn’t compromise my dignity enough so that I cared what the guys thought, and I was rewarded _quite_ _handsomely_ for being such a wonderful, loving boyfriend.

Wincing as I dropped into the open yard after my climb down the north wall, I was thinking I should probably give Cole a few pointers on when to fight a battle with Arwyn and when to roll with the punches before he cut off his nose—or something else of great importance—to spite his face. 

My proud, Italian friend was really stubborn and could be as hardheaded as a goat, and Arwyn was nearly as bad.  They had already had a few face-offs over different topics since she’d joined us, and were pretty much tied on their wins, but when Cole lost, things were _not_ good for the rest of us.  When that happened, it was best to stay out of the way of the rumbling rock-slide.

Anyway, I was sure whatever had occurred between them would be resolved as soon as our gallant hero had his lady fair back in his arms, and we were all safely home on the _Bounty_.  If not, then they could duke it out to their hearts’ content later while we laid bets on the winner.

Getting back to business, I looked around carefully for any lurking snakes in the grass.  The coast seemed to be clear, so I made straight for the reestablished well I had noticed from above, intent on drawing up a bucketful of water and introducing some of the refreshing liquid into any available diesel tank I happened to find.

When I was just a few feet from it, a sudden movement in the shadows caught my eye— _Where the hell did **that** come from?_—immediately sending me into a defensive crouch.  The Venomari who stepped forward with a foot-long dagger in his hand seemed almost more surprised to see me than I was to see him. 

Right away I whirled into a roundhouse kick, knowing I couldn’t have him spitting on me or asking any questions about things that didn’t concern him.  I also didn’t dare to use my nunchuks on him and risk giving away my position with the light and sound it created. 

My right boot immediately connected nicely where I thought his Adam’s apple might be, if he had one, sending him reeling toward the wall behind him, choking on the warning he’d meant to yell.

It was a _great_ move with the _wrong_ leg.

Unsure about the bladder-holding thing that time, I was on my back rolling around in the grass hugging my right knee to my chest probably before my clobbered playmate had even hit the granite wall.  I can’t imagine how I wasn’t screaming like a girl or crying like a baby. 

Pulling myself together when I remembered _why_ I was hurting, I opened my tearing eyes just in time to see that the spitting cobra had recovered and was lunging for me with his weapon held high in a hand that could’ve used a manicure _big_ time. 

Barely having time to think, I kicked up and out with my left foot, catching the snake in the solar plexus as he came down for me and sending him flipping over my head to slam onto his back on the hard-packed earth behind me.

Not giving him a chance to recover this time, in a single, flowing motion, I rolled swiftly into a low crouch to my left while pulling my right katana from its scabbard, and brought the blade I’d spent so much time sharpening slicing down through my would-be assailant’s scaly throat.  _Ha!  Su-KAH!  You just **thought** you were gonna pull one over on me!_   

Quickly scanning the area for any more willing opponents, I satisfied myself that no one had noticed our little scuffle and that, even had he been able to let out a warning cry, the noise from the frat party in the dining hall wouldn’t even have allowed it to be heard. 

In fact, the laughter and racket from the other side of the courtyard also covered the splashing of the five-gallon bucket someone had conveniently left beside the well as I sent it down to be filled.  With that chore accomplished, I finally disposed of poor Timmy down the same shaft, again, not worrying a whit about any splashing being noticed.

After all of that, I was able to answer Cole’s badly-timed text which had arrived somewhere during my little frolic with Gross-Green-and-Flaky.  At the request of my leader, I created a nice-sized light show so he and Kai could sight-see for a second.  It was quite impressive, and loud, if I do say so myself. 

With that done, I spent a few minutes sneaking around in between the six medium-sized vehicles of the Serpentine troops, which proved to be a bit tricky while carrying a large, sloshing bucket of water.  Filled, the thing weighed about forty pounds, which was nothing I couldn’t handle, but it was a tad cumbersome.  However, it also turned out to be extremely handy.

Half of the vehicles were diesel, and each got just enough water in its tank to make starting and running the engine rather unlikely.  The other three vehicles were gasoline-powered with easily-removable spark plugs, just like the ones they had driven to the _Bounty._   

With that assignment carried out, I figured I’d snoop around a bit, just to see what was happening, and look for Zane.  Cole and Kai were due in any minute, so I didn’t have much free time left.  Sticking to the shadows, of which there were plenty, I left the bucket by the well and made my way toward the most prominent point of the action.

Passing the old, ruined baking house, I reached the derelict chapel’s doorway and was creeping past it on my way to take a peek in a window of the great hall when I felt something come down hard and firm on my right shoulder. 

The tenacious, unseen hold immediately wheeled me around toward the chapel door, making me defensively raise my right forearm to block it at the same time that my left fist was punching out at whatever had a hook on me.

To my shock, my punch was stopped short by a hand that collided with it, wrapping solidly around my fist.  My right wrist was seized in another tight clamp, and I was yanked forward several feet into the smothering blackness.

“Jay.”  The softly-spoken murmur came to me as I stumbled in, preventing me from starting to kick like a mule to get myself free.  “Your defensive techniques are incredibly predictable.” 

“Zane!”  The hands released me as I straightened and strained to see him, to see anything, huffing indignantly as quietly as I could, “You almost made me crap my _pants!_   What the _hell?!”_ A chuckle came from a little to my left.  “And, of _course,_ they’re predictable to _you!_   We only practice together _every freakin’ day!”_

I heard the faint rustle of a stiff material as he pulled a hood from his head and shoulders, uncovering his uniform and armor, off of which the light of the campfires behind me glinted.  

“I had to get your shiny butt out of the view of the entire Serpentine legion.  I have been observing you with ease since I barely landed safely on the roof of the gatehouse.”  His light-colored, hooded helmet and mask were easily visible as he turned toward me.  “Which reminds me.  Something on one of the wings of my glider broke loose during my descent.  If it were not for my perfect execution of a tuck-and-roll, I may have been injured.”

“Hey, that had _nothing_ to do with my workmanship!”  I could tell from the gleaming slits above his mask that he was just kidding with me, but I took lots of pride in my creations.  “You probably put the glider on wrong.”

“Hmmph.”  He sounded skeptical.  “I also noticed that you are limping.”

I waved my hand.  “Oh, that’s nothing.  Probably just sprained my ankle a little when I landed on the top of the wall.”  It actually hurt like hell, but I didn’t want to admit it and seem like a sniveling wuss.

Not believing me, apparently, Mother Hen squatted next to me and placed a hand on my landscape-fabric-wrapped leg just above the ankle for several quiet moments before proclaiming, “You seem to have an incomplete fracture of the distal fibula ten centimeters above the ankle.”

Sighing, I shifted my weight to my left leg.  “English, Zane.”

He stood to face me.  “The long, thin bone that is on the outside of your lower leg has a crack in it.  You should probably not be running for at least the next two weeks until it heals.”

“Well, _perfect.”_   I was wanting to whine, but I’d save it for when I got home to Nya.  “How am I supposed to move around here quickly?”

“Very carefully.”

“Ha.  Ha.  Anyway, I’ve already disabled all of the snakes’ vehicles in the inner ward, but there’re two on the outside that I couldn’t easily get to.”  I thought I’d send a little barb his way if he could criticize my craft.  “Were _you_ able to gather any information while **_I_** was doing all the work?”

My brother-in-arms cocked his head slightly in my direction.  “After exploring the gatehouse and traversing the southern and western parapets, then perching in the rafters of the great hall for a time over the armed Serpentine gathered there…”  I rolled my eyes as he listed all of what he considered to be his achievements. 

“…I have ascertained that there are at least approximately forty-one warriors, most of whom are gorging themselves and becoming inebriated in the great hall or loitering in the courtyard.  A few were left to guard the gatehouse.  Acidicus and Skalidor are both here, as well.” 

He paused as a pair of the stinking reptiles wandered past the door of the unrestored sanctuary.  “I have not yet definitively located our fairest teammate or our little brother.  However, although I have not gotten near enough to sense Arwyn’s power, I deduce that they may be held in the northeast tower, which will likely have more guards.”

“Ding, ding, ding!  You get a prize, good sir!”  Crossing my arms, I leaned my shoulder against the cold, damp wall.  “That’s _exactly_ where they are!  I found ‘em almost as soon as I landed, _and_ I’ve already talked to her.”  I finally had one up on him!  

But something about my chat with Arwyn was still niggling at me.  “She seems to be okay, but she’s pretty upset about something—”

“Well, der.  I cannot imagine why.”  When did the nindroid develop such a sarcastic streak?  Was he getting that from Cole or Kai?  “She and Lloyd _are_ being held against their will—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that!”  I stood up straight again and rubbed the back of my neck under my hood agitatedly.  “That’s not what I mean.  Did Arwyn and Cole maybe have some kinda fight or something in the last couple of days?”

Zane hesitated a second before replying.  “Before lunch, they discussed…an issue…which upset them both, but, afterwards, they did not seem to be angry with each _other.”_

“I was just wondering.”  His avoidance of what the ‘issue’ was made me a bit itchy with curiosity.  “She just didn’t really ask about him.”  Our conversation was interrupted when the silent alerts on our comlinks went off.  “Heh!  His ears must be burning.  There’s Cole.”

I hadn’t put a backlight on the comlinks’ screens so that a glow from them wouldn’t show our locations to an enemy in the dark.  Of course, that _did_ make it hard to read a text, but I was able to bring up a tiny, continuous arc of electricity between my finger and thumb that allowed us to see my wrist device without letting anyone know we were there.  

_[On S side.  Neither of u said anything bout a moat]_

Standing at my elbow, Zane mumbled, “Uh, oh,” and made for his comlink, but I motioned quickly for him to stop.  “Ooh, wait, I got this!”  I laughed quietly, and a short text from me was immediately on its way to Cole.

_[oopsy SURPRIZ]_

It seemed as if my leader was a mite irritable as he wasted no time in answering. 

_[J, no offense.  Im n no mood.  Let me talk 2 Z]_

_[FINE]_

I had the sense to know when to back off, holding the light for Zane as he communicated with Batman.  Hmm.  Actually, **_I_** was the one who could fly and made gadgets.  _He_ just wore black and was really big and serious.

A couple of messages back and forth later, Zane signed off.  “I will go assist them in entering the castle grounds.  Stay here out of sight until we return or contact you.”

Nodding, I prepared for a wait, sitting like a dog in a car with my finger up my nose—uh, figuratively—as my partner pulled the black, makeshift hood over his head and torso and slipped out into the night.

****Kai’s POV**

“Do not _dare_ laugh at me!”  From ground-level, I aimed my pointer finger at Cole who slid up to me sideways, stopping beside me on the ice bridge our water-freezing brother had conjured from the parapet of the inner curtain of the castle. 

I knew without seeing his face that at least his eyes were probably laughing over that mask.  I kinda hoped so, anyway.  He was brooding more the closer we got to the castle, and I really didn’t want him to reach his breaking point any time soon.

Surprisingly making no comment, not even a demeaning chortle, he offered me his hand to help me stand on the icy walkway.  I had to admit that it was better than swimming across, since we certainly couldn’t jump the fifty-foot expanse on foot or ride our vehicles over it, but that wasn’t helping my ass right now.

Rubbing my bruised and wet rear as I came to my feet next to Cole, I readjusted my sword on my back and looked up at the dark figure on the top of the wall, silhouetted against the glow from the courtyard.  “Are you sure that’s Frosty up there and not some evil snowman?  This thing seems more slippery than it really ought to be.”

The ninja in charge snorted.  “Turn the heat down a little, and maybe you won’t melt the ice under you.”

“I know it’s slick for you, too, Twinkle Toes, you’re just handling it better.”  I watched enviously as he skated to the opposite side of the moat like a hockey enforcer across an ice rink.  He wasn’t overly muscular, but he _was_ big, so how the hell did he manage to be so damned _graceful?_

Somehow I was able to remain in an upright position and scooted myself on foot to the end of the bridge without having to slide on my tail, joining my friend in black as he leaned with a hand on the moss-covered outer wall of the castle, waiting for me. 

“You look like a three-year-old on skates for the first time.”  Now I could see the amused smirk in his eyes as I held my gloved hand with its flickering flame up between us.

“How about a twenty-two-year-old who’s never _been_ on skates?”  Jarring my tailbone like that had left me a little grouchy.  I glanced up toward the top of the twenty-foot-or-so wall.  “And _now_ what do you want us to do?” 

The moat came up to the outer curtain, so there was only a sliver of rocky ground between the water and the stone wall.  “We climb.”  Cole was short and to the point.

Leaning to look around his broad shoulders, I said sarcastically, “You do remember there’s a drawbridge with a nice, wide gate just around the corner, right?  I know you saw it when we were checking for an alternate crossing earlier.”

Shaking his head like he was repeating this to a kid for the hundredth time, Cole sighed, “I know you’re ready to kick ass and take names, but you know we never enter any place by the front door.”

Feeling around between the large stones in the wall for a handhold, he continued, “Besides, another reason _not_ to go in through the front gate is that you actually have to enter the gatehouse which creates a long tunnel with a portcullis at each end.  When we’d get in there, they’d drop both gates and have us trapped like rats.”

“Then, there’d be a little problem with these openings built into the top of the tunnel.  They weren’t called ‘murder holes’ for nothing.”  Finishing with his lecture, the professor tilted his head toward me.  “So get to climbing.  And follow me.  If you go any farther to the left, you’ll be directly under the old latrine there.”

Grimacing, I stepped more to the right and closer to Cole, looking up at the upper part of the wall with its partial, tower-like projection.  The bottom of the smaller structure was open, which would have allowed the castle-residents’ filth to empty into the moat.

Finding my own handhold in the wall, I got over my disgust for waste that had disintegrated eons ago and asked with veiled admiration, “Before you do your smarty-pants dance, just how did you happen to learn so much about castle architecture?”

“Remember I said this afternoon I’d explored a few before?”  He was already several feet above me.  “And I like to read.  It wouldn’t kill you to do that yourself, once in a while.”

“Maybe.  If you could find something with pictures for me.  You know, because of that short attention span you claim I have.”  He only snorted with amusement from above me.

A couple of minutes later, we had met up with Zane and were running with our heads tucked along the western parapet, having topped the outer wall and crossed what was, according to Zane, the only connecting walkway between the inner and outer curtains.

After passing the eternally-sleeping bodies of two hissers who had been unfortunate enough to have run into Zane earlier, we got to the northern wall walk just above the old chapel.

Looking to the east, Cole motioned to the tower there, and whispered to Zane, “Is that it?”  When Zane nodded, our leader started determinedly toward it.  I hated to do it, but I stopped him by grabbing his scabbard. 

He jerked his head around to look at me with impatient irritation.  Funny how much of that he could show with just his eyes and thick, leveled brows.  And in the dark, at that.

Shaking my head, I explained why I had dared to stop him.  “You always say we need to make a plan first, chief.  Let’s meet with Jay and do that before you risk getting caught climbing the tower or shouting up to your Juliet.” 

I could tell he didn’t like that idea much, but he wordlessly glanced one last time at the dimly-lit, slit of a window, then turned grudgingly back toward the crenellated edge of the parapet, following Zane over it and down to the holey roof of the church.

“Well, hail, hail, the gang’s all here!”  Jay’s shushed greeting reached me as my feet hit the dirt floor of the rear of the place which was littered with chunks of stone, bits of the rafters, and who knew what else.  The blue–footed boob limped up and leaned in close on my right.  “About time you got here!”

I summoned my flame for a little ambiance since we were far from the entrance and glanced down at his leg with a chuckle.  “Yeah, well, at least Cole and I didn’t injure ourselves along the way.  I’m guessing you landed as well as you fly.  Glad to see you and Zane both made it in one piece, though.”

He stepped back on the good leg with a frown, his mood dampened momentarily.  “It’s no big deal.  Only a sprain.”  Directly across from me, in our little circle, Zane quietly shook his head.

On my left, Cole adjusted his mask under his chin.  “Forget it, Jay.  Zane already told me it’s broken, so you’ll have to try to not break it completely tonight.  He also told me you got nearly every one of the vehicles disabled.  Good work!”  Jay shrugged a shoulder with a self-satisfied smile. 

Leaning somewhat toward the electrifying mechanic, Cole hooked his thumbs in his belt and gripped it tightly, like he was trying to keep himself from grabbing his teammate by the lapels of his blue jacket.  

“Alright, enough of that.”  His speech was faster than usual and anxious.  “You said you saw Arwyn, that you talked to her!  How is she?  How did she seem?  Did you tell her I love her?  Did she tell you anything to tell me?”

Laughing, Jay held up both hands to stop him.  “Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Slow down already, bro!  One question at a time!”  When he cleared his throat, I was preparing to smack him in the back of the head if he tried to drag this out for Cole.

“She seemed okay, but kinda sad,” he began while putting one hand on a hip and gesturing with the other.  “And, no, I didn’t tell her you love her ‘cause she _knows_ that already, doesn’t she?”  Cole returned his comment with a hard, expectant stare. 

“And, no, she didn’t ask anything about you,” Jay said slowly with an apologetic shrug.  “Sorry.”

Crestfallen, Cole’s hands dropped from his belt as he looked at the lightning ninja.  “She _didn’t?_   What _did_ she say?”  I had a feeling this was gonna be interesting.

Jay frowned back at the Master of Earth’s wounded expression.  “Well, when I said _Zane_ was with me, she seemed really happy about that and kinda surprised he was alive, for some reason.” 

He soon confirmed that he was dragging his feet over this when he cast his eyes to Zane’s boots and mumbled, “And she asked about Kai when I said he had left the _Bounty_ with me.”  This _was_ getting interesting.

Not usually one to let his feelings be known, Cole seemed visibly more upset when he repeated, “She asked about _Kai_ and not _me?”_

Knowing I wasn’t really gonna be helping the situation, I still didn’t try to stop myself from pulling down my mask and grinning broadly at our leader.  “Told you she’d come running.” 

He cut me a stabbing look before turning back to Jay, pressing him for more.  “Why would she _do_ that?”

“Well… _I_ don’t know.”  Jay was getting more and more uncomfortable with this as he suggested, “Maybe she’s _mad_ at you about something?”  He narrowed his eyes and directed a finger at the one in black accusingly.  “Did you do or say something _stupid_ earlier?”

Pulling off his helmet, Cole shook his head vigorously in denial, not buying it at all.  “No!  Nothing stupid!  I-I don’t understand.  Why would she be _angry_ with me?”

From his left, the ice ninja breathed a very quiet, “Oh…no…”

As fast as he did it, I would have sworn that Cole had strained or dislocated his neck when he yanked his head to the side to focus on the cool one.  _“What?!”_

The blonde, flat-topped male removed his helmet and mask and held it on his hip, rubbing his chin with the other hand as he peered into the dark and spoke thoughtfully to Cole.  “The Serpentine meant to execute you back in Castor, and me with you.  Their leader said that explicitly when he restated Acidicus’ order during the ambush, possibly before Arwyn lost consciousness.”

Taking a deep breath, he looked intently at our colleague.  “She may have heard that, _and_ they may have reinforced it by telling her…that they succeeded.”

His eyes widening, I’m pretty sure Cole paled, too, as he stared back at Zane.  “…Y-You’re telling me she thinks I’m **_dead_** _?!”_  Slowly pivoting back to Jay, he asked in a low, strained voice, “ _What_ did you _say_ to her about me?”

Jay started to squirm.  “Not much!  She mentioned your name, along with Zane, and seemed upset, so I just made the comment that—”  His eyebrows shot up and his face dropped when a thought suddenly seemed to dawn on him.  “Uh, oh.”

Taking a measured step forward, Cole very quietly and ominously uttered under his breath, “ _What_ …did you _say_ , Jay?” 

Jay cringed under Cole’s hawk-like eye.  “That you were…‘put on ice’?”  My smile got bigger.  It just kept gettin’ better!

The black-hooded helmet hit the ground with a muted clang.  “You did _WHAT?!”_

“Shhh!”  Zane put a finger to his lips and glanced at the front doorway.  Cole had too much tunnel vision to notice him.

Quickly trying to defend himself, Jay put up both hands.  “I said ‘put on ice’, _not **‘iced’!**_   There’s a _difference,_ isn’t there?”

Grabbing the Master of Lightning by the shoulders with both hands, Cole shook him as he cried, “You let her think that I’m _dead?!”_

“Shhh!”  Zane tried again, this time placing a hand on Cole’s chest in a small effort to push him back from his prey.  Let him go.  I wasn’t sticking _my_ hand into the maw of the tiger.  I was just enjoying the drama.

Clutching Cole’s wrists, the ‘Crap-N-Junk’ kid maintained his innocence.  “I didn’t _know_ she thought that!  I’m sorry!  She never said it!  She never _asked_ if you were alive or dead!”

To my disappointment, Cole suddenly released him, turning to me with a concentrated squint and a flexing jaw.  “When I _kill_ him, what are the _exact_ words you’ll use to tell Nya what happened?”  Holding up an index finger, he emphasized, “And be _specific_.  I don’t want _her_ to misunderstand.”

With the barest pause, I crossed my arms over my chest, still holding up my flame, my lips curled up at Little Boy Blue.  “That it was justifiable homicide, and Jay got what he deserved.”

Rolling his eyes in frustration, he adamantly proclaimed,  “I’m _sorry!_   I didn’t _know_ that’s what she thought!”

Dismissing him, Cole put a hand to his forehead and stared out into the gloom.  “I have to get to her!  I can’t let her continue to think I’m _dead!”_

“You’re right.”  I picked up Cole’s helmet and tossed it to him.  “And as much as I’d like to stay here and slap Jay around for not being more on the ball, it’s time we got this show on the road.”


	33. Ninja Strike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is outlined, then it's time for action. The stakes are high for Cole, who's in no mood to put up with any Serpentine BS, and Kai's more than happy to help him deliver an order of 'kick-butt'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loving the hits! Over 1500 now! Wow, thank you!

CHAPEL, CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS **  
**

****Cole’s POV**

“Okay, guys. Our main objective here is to get Arwyn and Lloyd out of that tower and safely out of this castle as swiftly as possible, and ourselves with them.” I drilled each of the guys with my best authoritative gaze as I looked at the three gathered with me amongst the all-encompassing shadows of the ancient house of worship. “That means _all_ of us. I don’t want _anyone_ getting lost along the way.”

A collective nod of understanding came from the others in the circle as Kai’s miniature blaze flickered in his gloved palm in our midst, and he added with a crafty grin, “Our _second_ objective is to waste as many of these frickin’ rat-suckers as we can along the way.”

My slanted look met my fiery brother’s solemnly. “We’ll do whatever we _have_ to do. But nothing foolish and careless. Got it?”

The blacksmith’s grin twisted with sass. “Yeah, yeah.”

The fire-crafter was sometimes impetuous and hard to control, but in a case like this, he was also the warrior I wanted beside me on my strike team, just as I had during the battle on the _Bounty_.

Shaking my head in resignation, I turned my attention back to the planning session. “We gotta think about an escape route. Climbing the walls in a hurry is not gonna be easy, especially if anyone’s injured. Jay.”

The ninja in blue looked up and to the side like he was wondering if I thought he’d done it on purpose.

“So getting out with our vehicles is preferred,” I continued as I outlined a plan. “The best way to do that would be to go out through the gatehouse, except that the portcullises and drawbridge might be a bit of a pain in our butts.”

Jay’s brows knitted. “What’s a portcullis?”

“An iron gate that drops from above using a winch and chain or rope.” I was doing my best to be patient, but if I had to explain _everything_ tonight, I was gonna blow a gasket.

“In this case, although I wasn’t able to get a good look at it, I suspect one is probably positioned ready to block this end of the gatehouse passageway, with the far end of the gatehouse already closed off by another portcullis and the drawbridge.”

Zane nodded. “That is correct. I visualized as much during my brief tour of the place earlier.”

“We just need to avoid the great hall and try to do this quietly. I’m going straight into that tower.” I know my look was tense and determined. I could seriously feel the muscles in my neck, shoulders, and back growing tighter with each passing minute.

“Kai’s coming with me. You two are to secure the gatehouse.” The Masters of Ice and Lightning focused on what I had to say, while the Master of Fire flexed his neck and rolled his shoulders in anticipation.

I pointed briefly to Jay. “The portcullises need to stay up, however you can do that. The drawbridge needs to either come down permanently or be ready to do so quickly when we get to it.”

“The outer portcullis and drawbridge worked together.” Demonstrating with both hands, I moved them as though they were opposite ends of a see-saw. “One went up while the other went down. Hope that helps.”

“Tells me all I need to know,” Jay straightened with confidence. “I’ve already got this gig whipped.”

With an arched brow, knowing I could trust Jay to get the job done, I turned to Zane. “You know something about the guard situation in there, and probably already have the entire castle floor plan figured out.” One corner of Zane’s mouth twitched.

“Do what you can to make sure they don’t interfere with Jay or our escape plan. If you can figure out an alternate way out of here, let me know. And both of you be aware of the possible danger in the passageway from the murder holes and arrow loops if you miss any guards.”

“Those were already noted by me previously,” Zane put in with a touch of smugness.

“Of course.” I smiled at my confidant. “When you’ve got _that_ wrapped up, text me. If one of us doesn’t answer immediately, it could mean we may need backup.”

Fiddling with my comlink in the meager light provided by Kai with my head down, bangs concealing my eyes, I quietly added, “No matter what, Arwyn and Lloyd are going to get out of here tonight safely.” _No matter what._

“Damn straight!” Kai’s hand-lamp flared up, burning bright blue, then ebbed a tad back to a warming orange-and-yellow. Pulling up his mask, he declared, “Let’s get rolling! I’m getting stiff just standing here.”

Zane snickered and turned to Jay. “You missed Kai breakdancing on my ice bridge earlier. I believe that is one of the few times he has had the soles of both feet straight up in the air at the same time when he is not doing a handstand!”

Kai glared at Zane. “Yeah, yeah, go ahead and enjoy the laugh, soft-serve vanilla. First chance I get when we’re back home, you’re bouncing off your butt, too.” Making a fist, he extinguished his tiny fire, leaving us in the dark with the only light being what came through the doorway and a single window from the campfires in the castle’s yard.

As we made for the exit to begin the most critical part of our mission, I felt a hand on my arm, bringing me to a halt near the doorway. Twisting my head a little to the left, I could hear Zane’s soft words in my ear. “Remember when I said you were at eighty percent of your normal operating capacity? You are now down to seventy-four percent. You should have rested longer.”

Noting the concern in his voice, I inclined my head. “Thanks for the update, Z, but maybe my blood sugar’s just low from the run. No worries.” _Besides, nothing’s getting in my way at this point._

Knowing nothing else he would say could sway me, he left it at, “Good luck, brother,” and followed Jay at a crouch along the parameter of the inner ward toward the gatehouse.

Kai came to stand beside me in the shadows as we observed the other half of the team depart before heading in the same direction for a different destination. Glancing at a group of Serpentine carousing near the great hall’s open doorway, he asked casually, “What’d Zane tell you before he left?”

I pushed a lock of hair from my forehead, brushed off my helmet, and placed it on my head before saying merely, “’Good luck’.”

 

NORTHEAST TOWER

****Arwyn’s POV**

“Can you sense them yet?” Lloyd’s question made my shoulders slump tiredly. That was not the first time I’d heard it. It wasn’t even the tenth time. Stepping over to one of the several wall torches that was threatening to sputter out, I motioned to it with my hand, bringing it flashing back to life, if only temporarily.

I tried to keep in mind that he was frightened, bored, and longing for the company of the young men he’d come to look up to as his older brothers. He was also in mourning. He wasn’t alone.

Calling up the fire element within me, I stood behind him and wrapped my arms around the fair-haired boy’s shoulders and chest to relieve his slight shivering. “Not yet, sweetie. I told you they just aren’t close enough to us yet. Zane and I figured out a while back that any one of the guys has to be within about sixty feet of me before I can pinpoint an awareness of them.”

I looked over his head and out of the west-facing window through which he had been peering into the night. “I want out of here as much as you do. Be patient. They’ll get to us as soon as they can.” _Then our reality’ll really hit us._     

“Well, if they’re out there, I haven’t seen them yet.” His tone was somewhat despondent as he leaned back against my comforting warmth, and I laughed a little as his comment finally brought a short-lived smile to my face. “And you know very well that you won’t. Neither will the Serpentine.”

 

GATEHOUSE

****Jay’s POV**

Another thud from behind me. Aannndd another. Someone was getting his ass handed to him. _Ooh!_ That last one had a sickening crunch to it. _That’ll leave a mark._

But I couldn’t be worrying about some stupid snake with really bad decision-making skills. He should’ve known better than to investigate when he was walking around on the second story of the gatehouse and happened to see the glare of my lightning.

I may have been busy welding the winch of the inside portcullis so that it’d stay in the upright position, but Zane was standing around looking bored. I couldn’t play with him, so could I help it if he entertained himself by pretending to be the punter in a thrilling game of Serpentine football—with a real Serpentine football?

Finishing up with the welding, I turned to see him coming out of his Spinjitzu twister, two motionless snakes lying on the cold stones, a third flying away from him to crash into the nearest wall.

“Bravo! Bravo!” My gloved hands made a soft smack as I applauded his technique. “I see he brought friends to outman you!” Zane snootily adjusted his jacket while he surveyed the damage.

Stepping over one body, I observed, “Didn’t do him any good, though, did it?” My partner in crime just grunted agreement, and I motioned as I walked past him. “C’mon, buddy! Let’s get to the other end and start working on the deal-breaker.”

 

NORTHEAST TOWER, GROUNDFLOOR DOOR 

****Kai’s POV**

The northeast tower’s substantial, weather-beaten door appeared so old and heavy that I was surprised the three, sturdy, forged-iron hinges attached to the stone doorframe were able to hold it up. Apparently the smith who had shaped them ages ago had been a good one. Maybe better than me. Nah.

Cole and I stood like sentries on either side of the wooden, ground-floor entryway, our golden weapons held at the ready before us as we listened to the hissing of the guards inside the tower. They were arguing and laughing over whatever game bored reptilian soldiers played while they enjoyed what they didn’t realize was to be their last meal.

Motioning to Cole, I let him know through hand signals that there were at least six of them gathered around a small table on the left side of the tower room. I could tell that much from the number of feet I was able to count when I snuck a peep under the antique door.

Bowing his head once to let me know he’d gotten the message, Cole then paused a moment, making me wonder when the _hell_ we were gonna get this party started while I had one last glance at our surroundings. At the same time, the sounds of other partying from the dining hall increased like someone had just told a really good joke.

_That_ must’ve been the earth ninja’s cue. I was turning back to say the final battle was gonna come and go before we got outta here when I saw him suddenly step in front of the door, then kick back like a Clydesdale so powerfully that the thick, bulky portal was completely ripped from all of its hinges.

Sent flying into the round tower chamber, the slab of wood slammed into the part of the group closest to the center of the room, knocking its occupants, their chairs, tableware, game chips, and the table all over the dank and dark place.

_Ha, haa! It’s on now!_ We definitely had the element of surprise working for us.

“Well, hello, boys! Been missing us much?” Eager to get some action, I sprang into the circular room and landed in a combat-ready stance with knees bent, my sword held overhead horizontally in one hand, its point aimed threateningly at the nearest four-eyed snake. He gaped at me briefly in confusion, then leered, starting to rise from the floor while drawing his sword from its place at his hip.

He was only halfway standing when Cole appeared at my side, reached the Venomari in two strides, and delivered a vicious forward kick to his snout with the heel of his foot, stealing my thunder. The attack whipped the reptile’s head back and had him airborne for several feet before he crashed onto his back where he lay motionless.

“Hey, man, that one was _mine!”_ My indignant objection fell on deaf ears. I reckoned I was just gonna have to get over it since Cole then turned a menacing eye to the other snakes in the room with his feet apart, scythe in one hand, the other hand curled into a fist by his hip.

His snarl was coarse and deliberate, his message short and sweet. “The woman and the boy. Bring them down now, or you all die.” He was definitely _not_ in a word-mincing mood. It reminded me of times he had to pry the team out of the game room to finish long-neglected chores.

Keeping my stance, I covered the other four conscious guards in the room, waiting for a move, any move, as the apparent leader of the group, another pointy-headed Venomari, puffed himself up and drew a pickaxe from its place on his back. “I don’t know how you found them, ninja, but you will be _rotting in hell_ before you get them from us.”

“If that’s the way you feel about it, then you’ll be there with me,” Cole growled back, crouching slightly and swinging his Scythe of Quakes around to grasp the snath in front of him with both hands.

The disillusioned Venomari took several running steps forward, lifting the pickaxe for an assault, and bringing it down hard toward the black, hooded helmet, only to have it blocked like it was nothing by the golden scythe. Whirling to his left, Cole twisted his weapon like a bo, jerking the pickaxe out of the commander’s taloned hands and flipping it to hit the stony wall by the open doorway.

Completing his circuit, he thumped the heel of the scythe’s blade squarely in the middle of the Serpentine’s chest, knocking the reptile onto his back. I figured he was just messing with him, since I knew the earth ninja’s strength. Had he meant to, a blow like that would normally have split the creep’s sternum.

Proving me right, Cole sheathed the scythe, reached the fallen snake, and grasped the leather strap across his chest, roughly hauling his wheezing opponent to standing. “Get on your feet! I want the pleasure of _kicking your ass_ before I wipe my feet on it on my way up this tower.”

Taking a pace away from his intimidatingly-larger adversary, and looking a bit embarrassed, the scaly leader scowled at his gawking toadies. “Don’t just stare at me, you idiots! Attack them, or I’ll have you all beheaded later!” Spurred into motion by his empty threats, a one-headed Fangpyre with a six-inch, spiked mace quickly ran to the captain’s aid.

Brandishing a measly dagger, a Hypnobrai and his Constrictai friend sporting a naginata stepped forward to greet me. The last green snake, more human-looking than the others, started to join the action, but held back near the stairway, gripping his drawn blade with more than a little trepidation.

“C’mon, boys! You knew it had to come to this before it was all over, right?” I gestured invitingly to the two who cautiously advanced on me. “Let’s get it on.”

Glancing quickly at the blue one with the dagger, I knew I’d have to watch the sneak for a side attack, but for now, the black-and-orange Constrictai with the pig-poker was my primary target. The pole weapon he handled was a curved, two-foot blade attached to a wooden, five-foot shaft. With it, he had about three to four feet of reach more than I did. Tricky, but not undefeatable.

He clumsily attempted to spin it like a bo, probably just to try to impress me, but it wasn’t working. Luckily for me, he didn’t seem to know how to use it.

Winking at him over my mask, I waited for his first move. Letting one of them take it, and being patient for once, would make them more nervous, and give me a bit of an edge. They were both going down any way you looked at it.

As I expected, the naginata-holder couldn’t wait me out and jumped first. Deciding that his bo skills wouldn’t cut it, he switched to using the pole weapon like a spear, jabbing hastily at my chest. His blade was blocked to the right with a downward parry of the Sword of Fire.

The naginata immediately swept up and arched back and to the left, coming in low from that direction for a swipe at my legs. Metal clanged on metal as it was parried again by the golden sword.

Seeing an opening, I spun counterclockwise, bringing myself around to his left at just the right angle to get in a side kick to the outside of his thigh, over the peroneal nerve, forcing his knee to the ground. It reminded me that my tailbone was still a little tender.

With that one momentarily down, I took a second to check out the other action, and saw Cole dodging the venomous spray of the green commander with whom he now grappled hand–to-hand, landing a strike to the spitter’s throat as payback for the loogie. A few feet behind him, the Fangpyre was in the batter’s box with his mace, gearing up for a homerun.

“Cole! Behind you!” He turned automatically, caught the shaft of the swiftly descending mace with his right hand, and, with his left, jabbed a punch to the red monster’s exposed rib cage under his arm. Fighting for breath and in an awful lot of pain, the Fangpyre was brought to his knees as Cole calmly tossed the mace aside and turned back to complete his first job.

Having kept my two dance partners in sight, I noticed that the one with the cute little knife got tired of waiting for his turn and, stupidly enough, rushed in with a running leap from my left.

Deflecting the blow from his weapon arm with my left wrist, I took advantage of his altitude and harpooned the blue-and-yellow upper abdomen with my blade, angling it up into the chest cavity. With blood gushing from the wound around my sword, the Hypnobrai was already nearly dead when he fell past me and hit the dirt.

“You just _had_ to be first.” Withdrawing my blade, as a reddish-black pool grew under my sightless challenger, I looked up in just enough time to sidestep the oncoming lunge of the well-honed naginata. But I didn’t evade the entire damn blade as it zipped past me.

An acute stinging and burning was felt from below my left nipple to past the middle of my lower chest. Outraged, I glanced down and could see an eight-inch cut across my jacket and undershirt. Bare skin and the shine of wetness shown under that.

“You _bastard!_ You cut me!” The Constrictai sneered over-confidently at me and readied himself for another go. Behind him, on the other side of the room, I saw Cole deliver a final blow to the Venomari leader. A few feet away, the Fangpyre was using the wall near the door to raise himself from the floor.

Spinning clockwise, and dropping down under the next horizontal slash of the naginata, I swung out with a backhanded slice, catching the fronts of both thighs of the Serpentine with the tip of my weapon, cutting deeply into the muscle under the snakeskin.

Standing quickly and springing out of reach of the annoying, but deadly, blade-on-a-stick, I squarely faced my opponent, sword at the ready. Now both bleeding, we guardedly kept an eye on one another as we moved in a slow circle, looking for our next opening.

Panting from the pain of the gaping and hemorrhaging lacerations across his thighs, the yellow-eyed freak of nature hefted his naginata and hissed angrily, “You will pay dearly for drawing blood from me, ninja! I don’t have time to screw with the likes of you!”

An armor-clad shadow suddenly appeared behind him, and I kept my stance, staring him right in the eyes with a smirk. “Got time to _duck_ , you smug-ass sonovabitch?”

Apparently, he only had time to assume a quizzical look, for in the next moment, a spinning back kick brought Cole’s black tabi boot smashing against the side of the slow snake’s head, nearly removing it from his shoulders. His body was propelled far to the side and landed slumped against the wall.

“He’s right. We don’t have time to screw around.” Aiming his sights on the still-unsteady Fangpyre leaning against the wall, Cole drew his scythe from his back and strode dauntingly toward him.

While he did that, I dabbed absently at my incised chest with the ripped flaps of my jacket, and started over to the last, and smallest, snake in the room, grumbling along the way. His terrified expression gave me pause as he cowered against the wall, and he really shocked me when he threw the knife he held in a trembling hand several yards away from him and raised his arms high. _They should all be this easy_.

“Pl-please! Don’t kill me! I-I won’t fight you! I-I swear! I’m not one of _them!”_ Surprising me with his panicky, desperate plea for mercy, I narrowed my gaze on the shorter, slightly-built figure and examined his features in the torchlight. He actually did look different. He had no spines on his skull, and there was something about the shape of his face…

_“Where did you **get** this?!” _ My inspection of the scared-stiff lackey was interrupted by my partner’s enraged outburst on the other side of the chamber.

With a sideways glance, I caught that the earth ninja held the Fangpyre against the cold, rough wall with his scythe’s blade at the reptilian soldier’s neck. He was snatching something from the belt of his captive.

Pointing at the humanoid snake with the tip of my sword, I warned him, “Move from here, and you join the others on the floor.” He nodded jerkily as I gave him the eye and left him to check out the other action.

When I got to Cole, he was clutching a piece of emerald-colored cloth in his left fist and shaking it angrily in the face of the snake he had bagged, loudly repeating his last question. Baffled at what might be the problem, my brow wrinkled a moment until I identified the jaggedly-cut square of fabric.

Eyes widening, I realized it was the snake embroidery from Arwyn’s jacket. And it was streaked with dried blood. _Ohmigod. Are we too late?_

The defiant Serpentine lifted his chin a bit higher as he gave a long, hissing laugh. “You should _know_ where I got it, you disgusting ninja! You _obviously_ recognize it! I cut it off of the back of that feisty, little whore of yours, the one you were training to kill more Serpen—!”

Before I even knew what I was doing, I felt my fist striking his upper jaw as hard as I could right where his lip should be. “Watch what you call her, snake!”

Cole didn’t seem to mind that I’d literally beaten him to the punch, continuing with his furious interrogation as he clenched the material in his gloved fist and shoved it against the guard’s bruised snout. “This is _bloody!_ Is it _her_ blood?! Did you **_hurt_** _her?!_ What did you _do_ to her?! _Answer me!”_

Cutting his eyes to me, then licking the blood from the edge of his mouth with a forked tongue, the Fangpyre focused on the fuming man in black. “Apparently you’ve trained _her_ to be no better than _you_ are. Yes, she tried putting up a fight, but, with my metal rod, she was rather simple to overcome.”

By this time, Cole was shaking with fury. I had no idea how he was holding back. Pressing the blunt edge of the scythe blade harder against the reptile’s throat, he yelled again, _”What did you **do?**!”_

The mutant seemed intent on pushing as many of his enemy’s buttons as he possibly could before he went down, choking out, “Oh, and she had such a satisfyingly-shrill shriek…and shed so many tears—”

_“Shut **up** , you putrid gob of sewage!” _I had never seen my brother so angry. He was about to go over the edge, and I was not even _about_ to try to stop him. _“You’re going to regret **ever** touching her!”_

If the ignorant snake had had a clue as to what Arwyn meant to Cole, maybe he would have kept his trap shut. Then again, maybe not. “On the contrary. I found it extremely pleasurable. Her _wailing_ was so _very_ entertaining—”

_“SHUT THE FRICK **UP!”**_

“In fact, I’ll certainly enjoy doing it again…making her scream…”

Didn’t the idiot snake realize what kind of damage he was doing, that he was signing his death warrant with every word that came out of his fetid mouth? I was ready to kill him now for whatever he’d done to Arwyn, but he was making it even worse with his spiteful taunting of Cole.

“We will _rip your heart out_ for hurting her!” I growled, looking to Cole to give me permission to take care of this myself. His usually-lightly-hued eyes above his mask were dark, hard, and unreadable as he adamantly shook his head at my unspoken request.

Sneering, the Serpentine stared Cole straight in the face, locking eyes with him and saying slowly, “I’ll make her scream again…and again…as soon…and as often…as I can.”

By provoking our leader, it was as if the vindictive Fangpyre was begging to die. If that was so, Cole was more than willing to accommodate him.

Suddenly becoming very calm, the ninja leader threw the scythe to the side and dropped the piece of jacket. Eliminating the distance between them, he grasped the back of the serpent’s head with one hand. With the other, he securely gripped the upper and lower jaws.

With his hand so near to those transforming fangs, I feared for a moment that he might be bitten, and we’d have another problem with which to deal. But his gloved fingertips dug so firmly into the slick surface, there was no chance of the mouth opening.

Startled, the Fangpyre’s pale eyes bugged, and he clawed at Cole’s wrists as my teammate’s face nearly touched the ruddy scales. In the coldest voice I’d ever heard him use, Cole spit out, “You won’t get another chance to touch her, you filthy, shit-eating snake.”

With an abrupt and forceful jerk of his forearms up and to the side, he snapped the reptile’s neck, then held him up by the head as the body twitched against the wall for a short time before letting it drop to the floor in a heap.

We both wordlessly regarded the stinking pile for a few seconds, observing it for any sign of life before I kicked it with my boot. “Nice, but I’d have made him suffer a lot more.”

Cole didn’t say anything as he bent to retrieve the green, embroidered cloth, briefly holding it in both hands and rubbing the needlework with his thumbs before tucking it under his belt. “Let’s go get them.”

After he had grabbed his scythe from the earthen floor, we headed for the stairway when I remembered the sixth guard and last witness to the carnage. Only because I saw him huddled near the bottom steps.

Lifting the point of my sword in a guard position, I sighed, “Oh, yeah. I forgot about you.”

Irritation flashed in Cole’s already-pissed-off eyes. “Why didn’t you take care of this one?”

Feeling a bit foolish for being lenient, I shot back weakly, “’Cause he begged me not to…and he seems…different.”

“It’s true! I-I’m not one of them! They made me…this way!” His nervousness made him proceed to spill his guts while he cried his eyes out. “M-My name is Hiro. I’m fifteen years old, and I-I come from a village over a day’s journey from here. The Serpentine w-were looting our village, and I was captured, along with a couple of others. They ch-changed us and forced us to w-work for them. Please don’t hurt me! I just w-want to go home! I just want to get back to n-normal!”

Cole rolled his eyes impatiently, but I could tell he believed the boy and probably felt sorry for him. “Look, kid, we have something extremely important to do, so we really don’t have the time to help you, but we’ll let you go when this is all over.”

As we walked past him to handle whatever waited above us, I added, “The best advice we can give you is to tell you to run like hell when you get away from this place. That should change you back, since the general with the antivenom isn’t in right now.”

Cole stopped when he got to the stairs and nailed the pseudosnake with a black look. “But you’d better stay put for now, and don’t even think about double-crossing us, or you’ll end up like all the others. _Capisce?”_

From the expression on Hiro’s face as he looked back at the trash on the floor, he totally understood.

 

GREAT HALL

****Skalidor’s POV**

Sitting at one end of the long row of trestle tables, I slowly sipped my wine and nibbled on the occasional stewed leg of vermin, watching my brethren as they reveled in the great hall.

Why, I wondered, did they bother to celebrate a victory against the ninja when they had no idea what they had actually accomplished? Why celebrate when they had lost yet another group of fighters, nearly a dozen, all because of a leader’s rash decision made in the name of gaining personal vengeance?

It began to occur to me that no one here truly knew what it was that they wanted or needed. The same could have been said for the recent common goal of attaining the release of the Great Devourer. Why, exactly, would we want to release an abomination that would consume all of our land and everyone and everything in it?

I, on the other hand, knew what it was that I wanted. A warrior of incredible strength, intelligence, tactical and leadership skills, courage, and loyalty. There was no telling how much I could achieve with such a warrior leading my troops. And I knew how to get him.

Pushing away from the table and taking up my staff, I motioned subtly to my eight retainers and quietly left the party. I had an interview to conduct with a certain female in our custody.

 

[Capisce?=Understand?]

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudo? Comment? Just wish I had an idea about the number of actual readers... Throw me a bone! Arf!


	34. Rescue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sensei Wu has a vision that whispers of danger in Cole's future. Meanwhile, Arwyn and Lloyd await rescue....and may wait longer.

_DESTINY’S BOUNTY,_ SEA OF SAND

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

“Is there anything else I can get or do for you before I go to bed, Sensei?” Nya’s usual perky tone was replaced with one which sounded troubled as she set the saucer with the last slice of Arwyn’s banana bread on the counter next to my squat, blue teapot.

I shook my bare head and gave her an appreciative smile. “No, thank you, Nya. I believe I have everything I need for the night. Just go and get some rest. I will be fine.”

She called it ‘going to bed’, but I knew she would simply be lying on a pallet on the floor of the bridge with her pillow and her worries, attempting to sleep while hoping for any word from the ninja team.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t like to come hang out with me in the bridge? We could keep each other company.” She lingered hopefully by the counter. I knew she was trying hard to distract us both, something she had been attempting to do ever since her brother and her beau had left the ship in response to Zane’s distress call right after lunch.

Before Kai and Jay had departed from Nya, the three had argued rather heatedly over her insistence that she be allowed to accompany them as Samurai X. The issue was finally settled when the men had convinced her that it was more crucial that she remain on the ship to manage the communications center, safeguard the Fang Blades, and tend to their helpless, old sensei.

That last part was not voiced within my hearing, but I am certain it was part of the men’s rationales as to why she should stay, made in an effort to work on her compassion and guilt. They were at least successful in getting her to remain. However, now when she was not tending to relocating the _Bounty_ , searching the radar and maps, or listening for any incoming messages, she was hovering over me.

Besides checking on me every few minutes, my much-loved and appreciated assistant had been kind enough to prepare supper, then had sat with me in the dining room while we both pretended to eat. Throughout the meal, we had striven to keep the conversation going in the unusual silence, speaking of everything other than where everyone else was and what they may be experiencing.

She had only mentioned Arwyn and Lloyd once after we learned of their kidnapping by the Serpentine. I felt she was afraid that talking about my nephew, the child of my dear, but estranged, brother, and my daughter by the only woman I had every truly loved would perhaps send me into tears or something of that sort. I was not certain that she was not correct.

As we stood in my chambers, it was still relatively early in the evening, being only nine-thirty or so, but it had been at least two hours since Nya had last reported hearing from Jay. He had told her simply that he loved her dearly, the team was near their destination, and not to worry if she did not hear from him for several hours, that they were about to begin the rescue mission.

The rescue mission. My team of Spinjitzu masters, who were like sons to me, were currently risking their lives to bring back Arwyn and Lloyd. If I lost any one of them, I would suffer a devastating blow.

I had not realized before then just how much the young men meant to me. I understood the distress I felt when I learned of the capture of Arwyn and Lloyd, both of whom I cherished, but I had not expected the intense shock I experienced when I was told of how Cole and Zane had very nearly lost their lives to the Serpentine.

My ninja had all had close calls before this. They were warriors, after all, the nature of their activities was fraught with danger, no matter how skilled or careful they were. But never before had one of them come so close to death.

Cole, my indestructible earth ninja, had stood on the brink, teetered on the razor’s edge…And I had seen it in a vision right after he had left the _Bounty_ with Arwyn, Zane, and Lloyd.

“Sensei? Are you sure you want to stay alone?” Nya’s petite frame stood patiently near the door trying one more time to offer me a distraction before returning to her vigil in the bridge.

Placing my back to her, in doubt as to how much my present expression may have betrayed to her, I nonchalantly waved a hand. “Certainly, my child. Go now and do not fret. All will be well.” Busying myself with readying the teacup for my nightly ritual, I tried to sound reassuring. “Just come to me when you have news of the others. No matter the time.”

“Of course, Sensei. You know I will.” The door opened quietly. “Have a good night.”

When she had gone, I lit several candles and a few grains of incense, then put out the electric wall sconces. Sitting in seiza on the tatami mat with the snack and teacup by my side, I thought back to my disturbing premonition of yesterday.

The images had been vague, random, disorganized, and dark, wreathed in obscuring clouds of drifting fog. I took that to mean that the future, as always, was still quite uncertain, that what I was seeing was subject to change.

My team had been split into several parts, but I could not tell who was with whom, or what challenges each of them faced. Brother raged against brother. Some fell from the sky. They faced murderous snakes. There was physical pain, fear, anger, desperation, emotional anguish.

The last image was the most distinct. Cole, in a white, unblemished gi, a golden bundle nestled in his arms, stood on a narrow ridge, surrounded by complete darkness, staring down into a black abyss. Ever so slowly, he, and his precious, little package, leaned forward and tumbled into the void.

Although the entire vision was grim, the most distressing point of all was the blatant threat of Cole dying, and with him, the promise of a child of great power.

As with all of my divinations, this vision was, by no means, a certain prediction of the future, but more of a forecast of what could come to pass if all the right events happened to line up in a particular order. Even knowing that, it had still been quite unnerving.

Shaking my head to symbolically clear it, I closed my eyes, took several deep breaths of the spicy-scented air, and set about vacating my mind of all thoughts. It was my hope that, in meditation, I would soon be able to see more and that the future would already be brighter.

 

NORTHEAST TOWER, CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Cole’s POV**

_She’s hurt! The bastard hurt her, made her bleed._ And he had died for it. The whole time he was hissing at me, telling me how he had dared to touch Arwyn, had delighted in hitting her, was promising to do it again, I was thinking of how Keiji had struck her in his attempts to take her against her will.

 _Never again_ …Neither of them would get another opportunity to harm her.

Panting as I took the stone steps of the narrow, helical staircase two and three at a time, I fought my frantic thoughts. _Jay said she was okay, but that was almost an hour ago. Has something happened to her since then?_   

My fears were abruptly broken off when the toe of my boot caught _another_ step of uneven height, tripping me and racking my shin against a rigid edge for the third time. If it wasn’t for my leg wraps and the upper parts of my boots, the fronts of both of my lower legs would’ve been bleeding like crazy.

I gritted my teeth against the pain. **_Damn_** _those castle architects!_ The stairway was a marvel in defensive engineering. Only about four feet wide, it spiraled upward in a clockwise, corkscrew fashion, which gave all the advantage to right-handed defenders of the tower against invaders trying to ascend the turret.

The idea was that only one attacker at a time could climb the steps, and he couldn’t use his sword as he normally would since the stairs turned to the right and limited the space necessary for efficient swordplay.

 _Good thing we’ve trained in every possible way we can_. I drew a katana from my back scabbard with my left hand to engage the Hypnobrai who suddenly appeared just a few feet above me, the wooden staff of a six-foot halberd clutched in his fists.

“You’re going no further, ninja!” Meaning business, he savagely thrust the spearhead downward toward my chest. Using a backhanded parry of my sword, I redirected it with a loud clanking of steel on steel into the curved, masonry wall of the stairwell. The snake almost clipped one of the burning wall torches that offered a little light as he raised the weapon for an overhead strike.

“Sorry, but it’ll take more than you and—” With a sharp, metallic ring, my blade blocked the half-axe-half-spear a second time as it came down for a crushing blow to my head. “— _uhg!_ —this fancy toothpick to stop me, snake.”

Grabbing the shaft of the halberd with my free right hand before the blue reptile could recover again, I pulled him off the steps on which he stood, running him through with the blade of my katana as he practically fell on it.

Pulling my weapon free of his chest as his bleeding body hit the steps and rolled toward the third-floor landing, I called back to Kai, “Look out below!” Less than half a flight behind me, he was forced to sidestep the carcass as it bounced past him, shoving it with his foot and sending it down faster.

“Geez! How many more steps _are_ there?” he whined, neither of us caring about stealth any longer. The shouts of the guards on the ground floor had already alerted however many other Serpentine were on the stairs and the top floor landing. So far, the halberd-bearer was the first one, but I knew more waited above.

“Just two more flights, dude.” I continued my rapid climb toward Arwyn. “We’re almost there. Get ready for more fighting!”

“I am _so_ frickin’ ready!” I smiled under my mask at his fired-up attitude as we bounded up the steps, weapons in hand. I was ready, too. Ready to get to Arwyn, let her know I lived, and get her and Lloyd the hell out of this snake-infested rathole.

****Arwyn’s POV**

I was sitting on the floor with my aching, stinging back to the cool, soothing stones of the east wall of the tower when it hit me. The familiar, hot flush raced from the back of my head to my chest. I looked up suddenly at Lloyd with wide-opened eyes. “Kai.”

Bounding up from the spot next to me where he’d been sitting cross-legged while we were playing rock-paper-scissors, he cried excitedly, “Kai?! You feel him?! He’s here?!”

Before I could quiet him, he was jumping up and down on the precarious floorboards with his fists in the air, giving me more to worry about. “Woo hoo! We’re almost outta here!”

Hopping to my feet, I grabbed him to me. “Shh! Too much noise! And I’m not sure these boards can take that jumping!” Succeeding in getting him to stand quietly, I strained to hear any sounds that might indicate our rescue was imminent. Mostly all I could make out was the continuous noise from the great hall as the Serpentine whooped it up.

“Are Zane and Jay with him?” His hushed question was laced with hope and excitement. “Can you feel them, too?”

I closed my eyes and eagerly searched for their elements. “No.” All I could find was Kai’s blazing away furiously with a solid touch to it. Like during the battle on the _Bounty._

 _Oh, God, if only_ …

But I knew it wasn’t possible, for Cole wasn’t with him. I was just imagining, wishing, hoping…And yet, it felt _so heavy_ …Probably because he was alone, fighting all of those guards. Alone.

“Kai needs help! We have to do something to help him!” I looked around quickly for anything I could use as a weapon. The only items in the room that might serve that purpose were the small wall torches, the water bucket, and…me.

I walked hurriedly to the wooden door to the landing with Lloyd on my heels. “What are you gonna do? We don’t have any weapons.”

“I’ll figure something out! I just need to at least distract the guards at the door. Maybe that’ll give Kai a little advantage.” Reaching the door, I began banging on it with my fists, kicking it with my boots. “Hey! Possum breath! I wanna discuss that issue of no blankets again! And while we’re at it, a hot bath would be ni—!”

My feigned hissy was interrupted when the door was suddenly flung open roughly against me, nearly whacking me in the face and sending me stumbling backward, away from Lloyd. “Arwyn!”

By the time I caught myself, the door was slamming shut and locking, after giving me a scanty glimpse of two guards still stationed on the landing who were ready for combat. A third Venomari stood in the room against the wall by the door with Lloyd already in his clutches, a dagger held menacingly to his throat.

“You won’t be helping the ninja, now, will you, girl?” Even in the poorly-lit room, I could tell that his sinister eyes with their slit pupils glowered at me warningly. _Why do they always have to grab the boy?_

Freezing in place for a second, my mind raced as I tried to align my thoughts and organize a plan. _What would Cole say to do?_

The sounds of battle rose up the spiral staircase. A distant clash of metal on metal. A shout. Kai’s heat feeling more intense, confusing me with its density. Another resounding ring of steel weapons connecting. I had to find a way to help him in any way I could.

Straightening and relaxing my posture, I crossed my arms over my chest and took a slow, cautious step toward Lloyd, meeting his terrified gaze with my own. Smiling benevolently, I gave my little cousin a tiny wink while I answered the snake and wished I could control the effects of my adrenaline rush. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but _I’m_ concerned about getting a little more comfortable while we’re here.”

My slow steps turned into casual strolling as I moved somewhat to the right of the pair. “’Cause, if we’re so important to your generals, maybe we should be treated like _guests_ , with a little more respect and a few more amenities.” I was a little closer. “Not that I’m expecting four-star-hotel accommodations, but, really, holes in the roof and no curtains on the windows? Is this how you live _all_ the time? Pretty barbaric, if you ask me.”

Turning back to face the hostile, but bemused, Serpentine and his frightened hostage, I stopped and assumed a pose of being deep in thought, my left forearm still against my abdomen, my right elbow resting on it, with my hand on my chin. “In fact, I’d be willing to bet that your superiors are living better than this. They’re probably not _nearly_ as cold as _you_ are.” _Okay, think cold. Ice. Snow. Cold-hearted. Uncaring._

The scaly face no one could love twisted with disagreement. _“’Cold’?_ I’m not cold!”

“Really?” In a flash, I extended my right hand, palm-outward, straight at his face. _Frigid._ “How about now?” He never saw the thick, needle-sharp rod of ice that grew instantaneously from my palm and pierced his left eye socket.

With a hearty shove, I drove the four-foot-long icicle completely through his head until its tip struck the wall behind him. Stiffening, his paralyzed talons released Lloyd and the knife a moment before he went limp and crumpled to the wooden floor boards. The icy spear shattered as his head hit the floor.

“Well, _th-that_ was different.” Lloyd’s voice was shaky even as he tried to sound unruffled. I couldn’t take time to admire my work or comfort him. That was only one down.

Taking him by the hand, I pulled him away from the door, and pushed him toward the far side of the room. _“Stay there!”_

The sounds of combat had reached the landing outside. The clanging of metallic weapons and scraping of boot-clad feet on wood mixed with the labored grunting of the combatants and occasional cries of anger or pain.

Putting my back to the wall on the handle-side of the door, I nervously readied myself for the next Serpentine threat through the portal. _This part should be easy. The anger’s already there._

My wait was short as I noticed the noise outside abated somewhat right before the door was violently kicked from the other side, slamming it open against the wall.

In expectation of dealing with the intruder, I took a deep breath before flames erupted from both of my extended hands, engulfing the invader’s entire upper body and head right as he burst into the tower room.

“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!” The Dragon Sword of Fire flashed in the firelight as my victim flailed his arms from within my small inferno.

“Ohmigod! Kai!” Extinguishing the blast as the identity of my target registered with me, I ran forward to throw myself against him, my arms encircling his neck in elation.

His laughter rang in my ear as he twirled me once around in a circle. “Good one, Arwyn! Lucky for me that I’m the fire ninja, or that would’ve smarted!” A wisp of smoke rose from his singed hood as he set me on my feet and brushed the front of his jacket, one arm still around my waist.

Lloyd ran up to join us, giving our rescuer a squeeze around his middle. “Kai! You’re really here!”

“Really, Kai? Did you _seriously_ have to be the first one in?”

Inhaling sharply at the sound of the voice and feeling the blood drain from my face, frissons run down my body, I jerked my head up to catch Kai’s broad smile as he removed his mask. “Brought ya somethin’!” With his hands on my belted waist, he turned me toward the door.

There in the shadowy entrance stood a tall, dark, broad-shouldered figure. The torchlight danced off of the silver shoulder armor and helmet crest, the golden scythe on his back, the bloodied katana in his right hand.

With his left hand, he reached up and grasped the front of his hooded helmet and pulled it and his mask up and off, revealing the beaming face of—

“…Cole?…”

His name escaped my throat as scarcely a whisper as my breath caught, and I swear my heart stopped beating while every fiber of skeletal muscle in my body simultaneously relaxed.

_…Cole?…_

As I slid slowly toward the floor, I vaguely felt Kai’s hands tighten on my torso, my vision shifted out of focus, and blackness threatened to descend. More hands were on my body, and from afar came the sound of my name, called in an apprehensive tone.

… _Cole…_

Fighting unconsciousness, I willed my eyes to open and found before me the gorgeous, but fretful, countenance of an angel with tear-filled, greenish-grey eyes lined with ebony lashes. I lifted a shaky hand to that beloved face. “I-I must be dreaming…”

The tension disappeared from my angel’s features, and he laughed lightly as he grasped my hand and pressed a kiss into my palm. “A dream come true for both of us, my dearest heart! I finally have you back in my arms.”

We were on our knees on the ancient floorboards where he held me firmly against his muscular chest with one arm. With the knuckles of his other hand, he tenderly stroked a curl away from my face which was but a fraction from his own, beautiful one.

“I love you.”

Weaving my fingers through his shaggy, sweat-dampened locks, my mental fog suddenly lifted. Cole was alive! He was truly _alive!_

Gasping his name over and over, the tears which I thought had been exhausted were spilling down my cheeks. “ColeColeCole! Oh, my God, Cole, I love you so much! But, you were dead! They told me you were dead! They told me they had killed you!”

I was frantically caressing his face, pushing my hands through his hair, running them over his neck, chest, and shoulders as I laughed and cried at the same time, overjoyed, but afraid to believe, having to touch all of him to believe.

“No, no! It was all a lie, nothing but a lie!” He enveloped me in his embrace and the strong feeling of his element, trying to reassure me that all was well. “I’m okay, I’m really okay! They didn’t hurt me!”

Throwing my arms around him, I held him as tightly as I could, burying my wet face between his neck and the shoulder armor. “I thought you were dead, I didn’t want to live!”

Lifting my face to his, my hands on either side of his head, I prattled on in euphoria. “Then, just now, I thought I could sense you with Kai, I wanted to, but I told myself it was only my mind playing tricks, that it wasn’t really you, thatIwasjusthopingandwishingand—”

With a tear sliding down to his jaw, Cole wrapped his fingers gently in my hair and covered my mouth firmly with his, blessedly taking my breath away.

****Kai’s POV**

My brother had leaped to catch Arwyn as soon as she had started to go down, taking her from my hands and cradling her as they knelt on the dirty, decaying, wooden floor. I snagged Lloyd’s dusty shirt when he let go of me to run to tackle Cole. “Hold on a minute there, runt! Let’s let them have this moment together. They’ve both been through a lot of worrying about each other in the last few hours.”

Surprised, I had watched as Cole’s emotions over the last hour had ranged from anger and determination, even intense hatred of the Serpentine, to joy, tenderness, and tears. I had never before seen one of my brothers cry, but I totally understood. Without a doubt, he was definitely in love with the girl.

“Well, I’ve been worrying about him, too! I thought he was dead!” Lloyd objected to being held back, but I wasn’t letting go of him.

“Yeah, I know, but it’s a lot different for _them_. Trust me.” When they started the steamy lip lock, for some reason I felt obliged to cover Lloyd’s eyes with a hand.

With an exasperated air, the twerp sighed, “Why are you doing that? It’s not like I haven’t seen them kissing _lots_ of times in the past few days. They’re _always_ doing that now.”

Even **_I_** was a little unsure of my reasoning. “I know, but it just seems like we’re intruding in some way this time.” And, actually, after watching them at it for several moments, I was beginning to wonder if Lloyd and I shouldn’t quietly leave the room. _Holy cow. Did they forget where we are?_

After waiting another few seconds, I figured I’d better break things up if we were gonna get anywhere soon. Leaving Lloyd, I sidled over to Cole and subtly tapped the crown of his head with a fingertip. “Time to go, chief.”

One of my eyebrows lifted in disbelief when he continued what he was doing, and raised an index finger in my direction as if saying, “Just a second.” It had me eyeing the water bucket by the door in case I needed a Plan B.

****Cole’s POV**

I had lost myself in the kiss, holding Arwyn as closely as possible and feeling her melting against me, tasting the salt of her tears, the sweetness of her warm lips…Then Kai reminded me about what we were supposed to be doing, yet I couldn’t help but ask for one more moment of bliss.

Finally pulling away from her, I was in the middle of saying, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to stop them from taking you!” when I was nearly knocked over by Lloyd’s excited greeting. “Cole! I’m so glad you’re alive!”

Smiling, though it disturbed me greatly to think that they had believed that about me, I put an arm around him while I kept Arwyn snug against me. “It was all a bad dream, man! Now we need to see about getting out of here! Are _you_ okay?” He nodded happily.

Taking a look at both of them, I could see that they were still covered with the yellow sulphur and looked tired, eyes puffy from the irritant and crying. _Damn the frickin’ Serpentine_ …

Releasing Lloyd, I pulled Arwyn’s jacket embroidery from under my belt. Her eyes widened briefly when she saw it before she shifted her gaze quickly back to me. “I _know_ you’re hurt,” I said softly. “How bad is it?”

“It’s nothing.” She shook her head. “Now that I know you’re alive, I have no more pain.” Behind her, Kai glanced at her back, winced a bit and held a finger and thumb a little apart to indicate that it might not be so bad.

Tucking the length of fabric back under my belt, I stood, taking Arwyn with me. “Sweet, but you’ll need attention when we get out of here. Can you make it down the stairs?”

She laughed and hugged me again. “I could carry you _all_ down the stairs right now if you needed me to!”

Kissing her powdery head, I motioned Kai and Lloyd to the exit. “I think we’ll all go out on our own steam, thank you. Just don’t trip on the two snakes on the landing. They’re dead to the world.”

From there, we started a hurried descent to the bottom of the tower. With his sword still in hand, Kai led the way, and Lloyd followed a step behind him. Arwyn trotted in front of me while I brought up the rear, remorsefully staring at the lash marks on her back every time there was enough light from the occasional wall torch.

_I should have been able to do more to protect them…_

I was just thinking that our mission was going pretty well and was about to contact Zane and Jay on my comlink when Kai got to the bottom of the staircase and took the last step down through the narrow opening to the ground-floor chamber.

It wasn’t like he wasn’t being vigilant enough, because he always was. But, because the staircase was, in essence, built as a cylinder positioned on the inside edge of another cylinder, one had no idea of what might lie on either side of the doorway until one passed through it and all hell broke loose.

The halberd that had been discarded earlier had apparently been retrieved and put into use again. Its axe head came swinging at the ninja of fire’s chest from the right side of the doorway, but he was quick enough to repel that first attack by blocking it with his golden sword, cleaving the wooden staff in two.  

The second Serpentine attacker from his left bounced a poorly-aimed war hammer off the front of his helmet, knocking Kai to his hands and knees, but, fortunately, not stunning him. He was able to recover instantly and rolled out of the way of a follow-up attempt at splitting his skull, bolted upright, and brandished his sword, ready to fend off any other assailants.

Unfortunately, while he was busy staying alive, another snake had slipped in behind him and snatched Lloyd from the stairs, pulling him out of my sight. Reaching for him with a cry of alarm, Arwyn’s arm was seized by another waiting reptile, and she, too, was yanked into the chamber before I could grab the jacket collar for which I stretched.

Jumping the last few steps and ducking to miss the lintel, I landed on the clay floor behind Kai and automatically withdrew my scythe. A quick appraisal of the situation showed me that we were being surrounded by close to twenty Serpentine of the various tribes who scurried in from outside the tower. Arwyn and Lloyd were each being held at sword-point. And in the midst of the group stood—

“Skalidor.”

“Well, earth ninja. You’ve just saved me the trouble of an interrogation.”  

 


	35. Ante Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole and Kai have reunited with Arwyn and Lloyd, but find their escape route blocked by Skalidor and his troops. Now Cole has to think of a way to get the Green Ninja and Wu's nephew past them safely. How far will he go?

**NORTHEAST TOWER, CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS  
**

****Cole’s POV**

_“Sonova **bitch!**_ We couldn’t just walk outta here without killing more of you scaly, rat-eaters, could we?” Kai fanned the metaphorical flames as he waved his sword threateningly, turning in a semicircle to address the growing crowd of Serpentine. “That would just be _tooo_ simple, wouldn’t it?”    

Standing beside him with my scythe in both hands, I kept my eye on Arwyn and her captor while I worked on keeping Kai and myself in check. “Back down! Now is not the time to be stirring the crap. We’ve got enough on our plates.”

Normally, I’d probably just let him go, but we kinda had our tails in a tight crack right now, so I needed the saber-rattling kept to a minimum just so I could hear myself think.  

My blood pressure was already climbing from watching the larger-than-average Constrictai pawing Arwyn. She had resisted the reptile as he had pulled her several yards away from us, and had continued to fight him even when he had seized her tightly, pinning her arms to her sides and making her pant from the amount of pressure he was exerting on her torso.

However, the sword tip he’d pressed under her left cheekbone had finally done the trick of getting her to submit. I could already see a tiny trickle of blood oozing down her cheek. **_That_** _is gonna cost you dearly, snake…_

I knew she was trying to put on a brave face, but I could see the fear in Arwyn’s brown eyes as she glanced between Lloyd and Kai and me. She was probably thinking the same thing I was. This situation was unquestionably different from the one we had dealt with on the _Bounty_.

Checking on Lloyd, I could see he was trembling in the hold of another soldier not far from his cousin, but wasn’t being harmed. The snake wasn’t bothering to threaten him with a weapon this time, although he held it by his side, within our sight.

With a reassuring look to the two captives, I gave my mind free rein as it went through our limited choice of options. I knew I was gonna have to wing this one since fighting through these numbers while keeping Arwyn and Lloyd safe at the same time was not gonna be an easily achievable goal.

_Chill. Be cool. You’ll think of something._

My comlink pulsated on my wrist, and I knew Kai’s was doing the same. Jay and Zane had completed their part of the mission and were ready to head out if we were.

_Remember what I told you, guys. If we don’t answer, we’re up a creek…_

Zane had said he estimated at least forty-one warriors were within the castle walls, and that didn’t include any he couldn’t see. No less than half of his estimation were now heavily-armed and staring at Kai and me with blood in their eyes. The rest would soon be standing between us and the other half of our team, if they weren’t already there.

Skalidor slithered to the front of the crowd, coming to a stop eight feet or so from me, just out of reach of my scythe. “So, it would appear that I have accomplished a feat no other Serpentine general has yet enjoyed.” He chuckled inhumanly. “I have gained a victory over the outstanding ninja of Wu’s without having to waste an ounce of energy or effort.” A hissing cheer went up from his collected peons.

Getting a better grip on my scythe, I snapped back, “Close, but no cigar, Skalidor. We haven’t _yet_ begun to work our way through here. Would _you_ like to volunteer as the first loser to fall?”

Laughing deeper, he raised a hand to quiet the jeering from the drones behind him. “I think you will be fighting a losing battle since _I_ have the advantage. You and I _both_ know that I hold all the aces. Don’t we, commander? My idea that these two are of some importance to you has been validated, given the fact that you wasted no time in tracking them down.”

Dividing the group with his staff, and sliding languidly over to Lloyd, the Constrictai general placed a grotesque hand on the boy’s fair head, making my grip tighten more. “As I see it, you have no choice but to surrender to me. I already know the boy means something to the female. If she resists in any way, we will kill him.”

Moving away from Wu’s frightened nephew, Skalidor gestured with a dirty fingernail toward Arwyn. “If _you_ fight us, we will kill _her_. It seems clearly cut and dried to me.”

Thankfully, my mask aided me in appearing impassive, although inside I was sweating bullets.

_Damn! He’s got us over a frickin’ barrel here! How the hell do I get around this?_

Next to me, Kai opened his volatile mouth. “What if we just kill _you_ first?”

Skalidor eased back to his original position with a lift of an orbital crest. “That is not very likely.” Facing me, he placed his staff’s end firmly on the packed-earth floor. “Unless you would consider negotiating another arrangement—”

_Wha—?_

“There will _be_ no negotiations or arrangements!” Incensed, Acidicus barged into the tower chamber, swinging his staff and scattering the gathered soldiers as he made his way to the area near the stairwell where Skalidor and I faced off. “They will die _here_ and _now!”_

My eyes rolled. _Well, terrific. Now he’s got backup._

“Hey! Two birds with one stone!” Kai declared gruffly.

“Acidicus! How dare you interrupt me!” Skalidor indignantly lifted himself up higher on his tail in order to compensate for the slight difference in their statures as the taller, more slender, Venomari general reached him.

“How _dare_ you go behind my back to confront these lowlifes!” Acidicus waved his staff near Skalidor’s head, as if trying to bully him, then pointed it directly at me. “How did you even _know_ they were here?!”

_Hmm…Maybe his friend’s not that supportive, after all…_

The black-and-orange leader rooted for a plausible explanation for just a moment. “Ahh…I…was on my way to my quarters in the gatehouse with my retainers and noticed something out of sorts. Using good judgment, I gathered reinforcements and came back to find this.” He waved a hand at Kai and me.

Seeing a chance to turn the screws a bit, I tilted my head as I addressed the Constrictai, trying to sound helpful. “Actually, Skalidor, I think you also mentioned something earlier about an interrogation. Were you maybe headed upstairs when we were coming down?”

The latecomer to our get-together lit up like a roman candle. “’Interrogation’?! What information could you _possibly_ wish to gather from the female _without me?!_ And _why?!”_

Skalidor turned haughtily away from his associate. _“That_ is _no_ concern of yours, Acidicus!”

“It is un _deniably_ of my concern when you are plotting with this _scoundrel_ , this _toxic-bog_ _scum_ , whom I want dead above all else!” The venom-spitting reptile shook as he leveled his staff at my chest.

Standing straighter, but relaxing my pose, I placed the butt of my scythe on the floor in imitation of their staffs and brushed offhandedly at my vest armor with my free hand. “Well, Acidicus, I’m flattered. I had no idea you thought that highly of me!” I said lightheartedly. “So I guess now probably _isn’t_ the time to rub it in that you failed at bumping me off back in Castor, huh?” I stole a glance at Arwyn who closed her eyes at my remark with a furrowed brow.

My comment didn’t help to lighten his mood. _“You!_ You will die very shortly, black fiend! I will _not_ fail in settling the score for my nest-mates tonight!”

Mystified, I repeated, “‘Nest-mates’?”

Kai still held his sword at the ready. _“That_ sounds icky.”

“My _brothers!_ You killed _my brothers_ , Malicicum and Loathicus, in cold blood!” Spittle flew from his mouth, making me shift my feet a bit when some landed near my boots. “I _saw_ you! You will share their fate tonight!”

“Sorry, Acidicus.” I gestured without concern and didn’t try to sound apologetic. “But I’ve killed so many of your kind that I can’t always place names with faces, so I don’t recall them specifically. However,” I leaned on my scythe and pointed a finger toward him. _“You_ should have shared their fate a couple of weeks ago on the _Bounty_. I don’t know _why_ I passed up the chance.”

Kai shook his head at my side. “I _told_ you we should have—”

 _“Enough_ of your blathering!” Acidicus evidently went ballistic quite easily. Gesticulating wildly to the troops, he commanded, “Kill the men _now!”_

Arwyn choked out “No!” as Kai and I swiftly raised our weapons defensively, readying ourselves for an assault, when Skalidor cancelled the order with his staff in the air. “Halt! They will _not_ be harmed—not yet. You are _not_ calling the shots at this moment, Acidicus, _I_ am! _I_ will decide when, and if, they die. First, I have a few things to discuss with the leader here.”

I had been thinking back to other times we’d been in a pickle and how we’d gotten out of them with minimal damage when a sketchy idea to pull a fast one on the snakes came to mind, so I threw it out there. “You should make it fast. While we’re wasting time chewing the fat, Garmadon’s on his way over with the skeleton army to collect Lloyd. He knows you have him again.” _God, I hope this works!_

My bluff was immediately called by the green-and-yellow general who was better at creating propaganda than I was. “That’s a lie! There is _no possible way_ that Garmadon knows about this already! We have not yet contacted him for ransom!” Still, the hissing around him increased, and Skalidor looked a little uncertain as to whether he should be packing a bag or not.

I tried to sound convincing and keep the desperation out of my response. “Be assured he has sources. I don’t think you want a repeat of what happened at the Mountain of a Million Steps a couple of months ago, right? It’s really _not_ gonna be pretty this time.” _C’mon, bite!_ “I’d advise that you grant Lloyd and the woman safe passage out of here right now.”

Catching on to my little ploy, Kai tried to lend a little credence to my story. “I’d listen to him if I were you. I’m not happy about it, but Garmadon’ll be touching down before you know it.”

“You will _not_ intimidate us! He is _not_ coming!” The hateful snake wouldn’t back down, jabbing his taloned finger at Kai, then fixing me with a stabbing glare. “And how did _you_ find them so quickly?!”

Unexpectedly, Skalidor spoke up with what sounded like sincere respect and a touch of reverence. “He found them because he is a great leader. It’s what he does. He keeps his team together and emerges victorious.” It actually gave me the willies.

“However, he is not the conqueror _this_ time, and yet, I propose that we could possibly work out a compromise.” He slinked back and forth in front of Kai and me as he talked.

“The female and young Garmadon could be spared any further harm and still serve their purposes _if_ you and your team surrender yourselves and your weapons to me and agree to be transformed by the bite of a Fangpyre. I believe your team and their powers could prove to be most useful to me. That especially goes for you, their dauntless and enterprising leader.”

Kai and I glanced at each other. _You have **got** to be kidding me…_

Without reservations, Acidicus let him know _his_ opinion of that idea. “WHAT?! NO! I said _‘no agreements’!”_

Skalidor ignored him, his gaze fixated on me. “By the way, shinobi, what is your name?”

I hesitated, not wanting to give my surname in case they tried to track down my dad later, finally answering in my best impersonation of my grandfather’s Italian accent, “Valerio Cole, meaning ‘brave and strong’, ‘of the earth’.”

Kai snickered at my elbow, and a small gasp came from Arwyn’s direction, indicating her shock that I’d given him the information. “That’s what you want, isn’t it, Skalidor, someone fearless and tough?”

This was getting a little too personal, and I didn’t like the way he was eyeballing me. At the same time, I was getting a scheme about what I could do to cause more conflict between the two high-ranking reptiles, hammering a wedge into the existing crevasse. If I could dig up Skalidor’s hidden agenda, the scales might tip in my favor.

Meanwhile, a second little plot at the back of my mind was formulating that I thought would help me save my family and possibly destroy at least some of the Serpentine. As long as Kai didn’t interfere and took care of himself. And where were Jay and Zane?

A sidelong glance at Arwyn and Lloyd’s status in captivity spurred me on, and I drew a deep breath. “You got your tail around me once, and you must’ve liked it, ‘cause you did it again the next chance you got. In fact, I remember you making some remark about making me your ‘main squeeze’.” Thinking of what he possibly could have been insinuating made my gag reflex react, and I swallowed hard to control it.

“I’m not sure what you meant by that, but I intrigue you, don’t I, Skalidor? You want me for some reason. You want control of my strength, my scythe, my tactical skills, Spinjitzu, and…” I swallowed again to stop another potential retch. “Whatever other creepy reason you may have.”

Neither Kai nor Arwyn made a remark, but I could feel their eyes boring into me.

The burrowing officer looked enthralled by my words, but his peer was growing more infuriated. “What is he talking about? He would be of no use to you, Skalidor! He has more worth _dead! You must put an end to him!”_

 _Here goes nothing._ “Are you gonna let Acidicus rule you, Skalidor, tell you what to do and when to do it? It looks like he’s already doing that. You know he’ll only double-cross you, lie to you, since he feels no loyalty toward you or anyone else. He’s got his own personal, selfish agenda. I’ll bet he’s making plans without telling you, treating you like you have no mind of your own, no significance whatsoever.”

Acidicus inhaled sharply as he ogled me in astonishment. “That’s not true!” Whipping around to Skalidor, he cried, “He’s weaving webs to cloud your eyes, to make you distrust me!”

Regarding him with angry suspicion, Skalidor informed him, “He speaks no untruths, Acidicus! I already distrusted you and suspected all of those things about you! He’s probably telling the truth about Garmadon, too!” The troops around them seemed a tad skittish and gave the two quarreling officers more space.

Encouraged, I continued to pile it on as high as I could. “That’s awfully wise of you, Skalidor, ‘cause I’m sure this viper has been trying to lead you astray, going behind your back to the other generals. And, of course, to Pythor. Acidicus wants control of the Serpentine army, Ninjago, the elements, all of the power for himself. He’s only using you and your supporters because he thinks that you’ll roll over and let him have his way.”

“Shut your mouth! That is _not_ my agenda!” The Venomari’s yellow eyes were reddening a touch as he yelled at me before he cooled his jets and started to sweet-talk his comrade. “You are _equal_ to me, Skalidor! Together we could usurp Pythor’s power, control Fangtom and Skales, rule over all of Ninjago—”

I couldn’t have any of _that!_ “So he says _now_. But, getting back to the talk of a compromise…We both know power begets power, Skalidor, and it so happens that I’ve been wanting more of it, just like your colleague. I’d be of much more value to you alive than dead. I even kinda like the idea that, as a leader of your troops, I could finally do more and be more, instead of just being a part of this motley crew and getting nowhere.”

I gestured toward Kai, Arwyn, and Lloyd who all stared at me like I was a talking gingerbread man. “Like you said, it’s a losing battle Wu doesn’t stand a chance of winning.”

Leaning toward me a hair, Kai whispered, “What the frick are you talking about?” I didn’t answer him, but between that and Arwyn’s cautious “Cole?” I felt I was doing a decent job of acting.

And so I assumed a slightly-more-arrogant air and went on with my presentation. “In fact, with me to train and lead your troops, you could easily defeat Wu and obtain the Fang Blades. You might finally be able to defeat even Garmadon. You could be the master of the Master of Earth.”

I was laying it on sorta thick, but Skalidor seemed to be lapping it up, even raising his hand to silence Acidicus when he started to interrupt, so I wasn’t stopping. “I can’t promise that the other Masters would be as accommodating, but you can try, and I could help control them for you since I know every one of their strengths and weaknesses. I’m actually the most powerful of them all. Just think. You would have _all_ of the power of _all_ of the elements at your disposal.”

“Hey! No one’s controlling _me!”_ Lowering his sword, Kai sounded offended, and looked at me like I’d lost my flippin’ mind.

Keeping my eyes on Skalidor, I tried to ignore the firestarter and hoped I wasn’t overdoing it while I got down to my true motive for the load of bullshit. “You know, I was chosen as the first of Wu’s students of this generation for a reason. I’m his favorite, entrusted with all of his secrets and plans, all of his teaching strategies. I’m willing to let you have a go at me, and you wouldn’t even need the useless woman and the boy. I’d only ask that you let them go safely.”

Acidicus finally succeeded in getting a word in edgewise as he sputtered, “B-But she has all of the elements! I’ve _seen_ her use them!”

I blew off his rebuttal with a wave of my hand. “She’s weak and limited, with no real skill or power. Trying to teach her Spinjitzu and elemental control was just an experiment which wasn’t very successful. You know how feeble females are.” Blocking out Arwyn’s sounds of disbelief wasn’t easy.

“She was a waste of our time, and she’d be a waste of yours. You’d have me and the other guys, anyway.” _If she believes this, she’s gonna mop the floor with my butt for it later. I hope…_

“That’s what _you_ think! I’m not giving in to these overgrown worms!” It was hard for me to tell if Kai had caught on by that time or if he was actually pissed.

“If _that_ is so, then why did you come for her at all?” Acidicus challenged me with his arms crossed over his chest. “And why would you want Lloyd released if you would be working against Wu?”

 _Why indeed?_ “Wu wants Lloyd back badly, to keep him from Garmadon.” I looked pointedly over at Acidicus. “You probably know how it is. A control thing between rivaling siblings. Because of _that_ fight, I think it’d be best to get rid of the liability of the boy instead of being caught in the middle. I’d also like to see him sent home ‘cause he’s just a kid. I _do_ have a soft spot. The girl is just part of the package.”

Skalidor had been taking in everything I said without question, but now his demeanor turned sly. “You seem quite anxious to have them both away from here. Could it be that she is more important to you than you admit?” Did he know more than he was letting on or was he just fishing?

Sounds of a commotion in the courtyard sprang up as I shrugged indifferently. Saying the next words, I was again thankful for the concealing properties of my mask, but still avoided looking Arwyn’s way. “Eh, not really. I may have had my way with her a few times, you know how men are, but I’m bored with her now.”

Her distressed-sounding intake of breath had me feeling like a turd for saying that. “I guess I feel I owe her a little something after using her like that. She should go back to her family instead of living as a snake for nothing.”

Even Kai was questioning me. “You did _what?”_

The Constrictai chief seemed dangerously thoughtful. “Perhaps I should keep her, anyway. She could be used as a reward for your good behavior, valuable in helping keep you under my control if you stray in your loyalties.”

Behind him, I caught a glimpse of a blue flash of light through the tower doorway, and the racket of fighting increased. Jay and Zane were trying to cut a path through the throng of Serpentine who stood outside. Every single one of my team, my family, was in danger’s way at this moment. I had to do something.

Attempting to overlook the pounding in my chest, I grasped at my last straw and responded as casually as possible. “You don’t need her for that. Weren’t you listening? Having more power would be enough for me. What’s more, as a pledge of my loyalty, I’ll even hand over my scythe right now.”

Skalidor greedily eyed the carrot I dangled while Acidicus had given up talking sense into him and was ordering a soldier near the door to assemble every available warrior in the castle to the tower. _Please do…_

From my left, Kai exploded. “Are you frickin’ _nuts?!_ What in the hell are you _doing?!”_ Arwyn was anxiously calling my name, begging me to look at her, but I kept my attention on the head honcho in front of me. I couldn’t let him get distracted now.

“As a pledge of yours, let that guard,” I pointed out Hiro who cowered not far away, “and the ninja of fire take the boy and female at least as far as the drawbridge unmolested. After that, the ninja’s fair game. Once they leave the tower, I’ll join you, as a man or as a snake, your choice.”

My golden scythe landed with a ringing thud on the dirt floor in front of Skalidor.

That _really_ had Kai and Arwyn freaking. She was screaming at me by this time, pretty much repeating what Kai had just yelled at me, when he grabbed the top of my vest armor and furiously jerked me around to face him. “What’s going _on_ with you?! Are you suddenly _insane?! I can’t let you **do** this!”_

Roughly batting his arm away and breaking his grip on my vest, I thundered, _“You can’t stop me! You won’t ruin my chance to be the power behind the throne!”_ Caught up in the moment, I grasped the leather of his upper chest armor and menacingly hauled him up nose-to-nose with me, rasping out quickly in a low voice, “Take this chance! Get them **_out_** of the tower **_now_ ,** and **_don’t_ ** come back in here!”

Partial understanding blazed in his jet-black eyes that time, and he broke away from me with a hard shove, snarling loud enough so the Serpentine could hear, “I guess you’ve _chosen_ your path! I’ll watch you go down on the next battlefield… _brother!”_ Turning abruptly away from me, he strode toward Arwyn, motioning with his sword for her guard to release her, irately shouting to Hiro to get Lloyd.

The two generals were still quarreling raucously with one another.

“I want his blood to _run on this floor!”_ Acidicus screeched just before Skalidor grabbed the Venomari’s throat with one hand. Compressing his trachea, the Constrictai shut him up, barking at him, “I want him for _my_ use! You have worked to ruin my aspirations for _too long!_ You will do so no longer!”

Releasing his winded associate, Skalidor bent to lift my Scythe of Quakes from the ground with an avaricious leer, then signaled a Fangpyre to approach him. “If you speak the truth, earth ninja, then we shall begin our alliance with the sting of the Fangpyre, and you can start the process to becoming a more powerful Constrictai commander.”

 _Damn, he’s in a hurry!_ I promptly put up a black-gloved hand to stall him. “Not until they’ve cleared this tower!”

Arwyn was being physically dragged out by Kai as she struggled to break his hold on her arm, crying frantically to me through fresh tears, _“No!_ Cole, don’t do this! You can’t sacrifice yourself to them! _You can’t do this!”_

Making eye contact with her, I tried to make myself heard by her over the din rising from the excited group of snakes filling the round chamber composed of granite and limestone. I wanted to get a message to her that the Serpentine couldn’t decipher.

 _Please understand what I’m about to say, and **listen** to me this time. _ Our Italian lessons had been rudimentary so far, but I had at least taught her one phrase, the equivalent of ‘I love you’.

 _“Sei tutto per me, il cuore della mia vita! Non combattere. Andare avanti senza di me, con Kai.”_ (You’re everything to me, my life’s heart! Do not fight. Go on without me, with Kai.)

Even in the dim light, I could make out the expression of horror that crossed her face, stopping her briefly before she renewed her resistance against Kai as he was facing a roadblock getting out of the tower with the Serpentine cluster. At this point, there was no way I could make her understand.

 _I have to do this. For you. For everyone. But this is **not** the end._  

 _“Non combattere!”_ I repeated emphatically as I began to summon the energy that would free us all, save my family, and destroy the Serpentine eagerly waiting to see my transference of allegiance.

As a result of my silent beckoning, I could feel in the earth beneath me barely-discernible ripples that rapidly grew into mightier shockwaves that collected around me, like metal filings to a magnet.

_Kinda odd that no one seems to feel this… Can Arwyn?_

Within seconds, the perceived quavering of the clay under my feet built into a crescendo of elemental energy that swelled up out of the ground and surged into my physical body, coursing through it and firing up every cell. The tremendous amount of transfiguring force that affected my every sense had me feeling omnipotent, indestructible, immortal _._

_I can do this. I will triumph!_

Kai had parted the crowd with a flare from his sword, opening a trail to the door and pulling Arwyn through it after a quick, backward glance at me. When Hiro and Lloyd ran out after them, I focused my enhanced vision on the bewildered Acidicus and the spellbound Skalidor. The latter gazed in amazement at my transformation, my glimmering scythe in his grip.

“Still want a piece of me?” They could only stare.

Extending a radiant, translucent hand toward the frightened-looking Fangpyre who was backing away from his boss, I gestured with two fingers and gave him a taunting smile he couldn’t see.

“Come and get me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, comment or kudo, please O_O


	36. Indestructible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Always the one to push past his limits, Cole quickly realizes he has overextended his weakened capabilities. Arwyn stands up to the earth ninja's brothers, refusing to compromise his safety in favor of her own.

NORTHEAST TOWER, CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Arwyn’s POV**

_“Sei tutto per me, il cuore della mia vita! Non combattere. Andare avanti senza di me, con Kai,”_ Cole shouted to me as I tried to wrench my arm loose from the iron grip of his counterpart, who pulled me steadily through the grumbling vipers toward the exit.

In my present stressed-out, emotional state, knowing only the basics of his ancestor’s language, I fumbled with difficulty to translate what he’d said.

_He still loves me, he **hasn’t** completely lost it! …And something about not fighting, and…’go without me’?_

_Like in my **dream**?! _

_Oh, God, no…_

“No! Cole, _don’t!”_

I tried fighting Kai, clawing at his gloved hand, fighting to get to Cole, but the weight of the ninja of earth’s element was escalating so fast that I was growing severely short of breath, barely able to yell at my teammate in red.

“Let me go, dammit! _*gasp*_ I have to get _*gasp*_ to him!”

Kai disregarded my demands and continued unrelentingly to the door, tugging me forcibly with him.

“Stop! _*gasp*_ Something’s _wrong_ , Kai! _*gasp*_ Something’s _happening_ to him!” Feeling the trembling of the seismic waves under us, I knew the physical force of Cole’s element was becoming brutally overwhelming for a reason, and it couldn’t be a good one.

Kai hesitated for a fraction of a second as we were about to clear the tower entryway, and, as one, we turned toward Cole a final time. What I saw knocked the wind out of me.

_Oh. My. God._

Scintillating, crimson-gold-and-violet rays surrounded the Master of Earth in a swirling whirlwind of nearly-blinding light as he levitated a couple of feet above the ground. His eyes shone a brilliant, other-worldly, phosphorescent blue. His entire body and uniform were vivid, glass-like, ablaze with a lightly-golden sheen. The sight was awe-inspiring, fearsome, terrifying.

“What’s happened?! _*gasp*_ _What’s happening to him?!”_ Near panic, I was shrieking with fear for Cole as Kai plowed into the swarming horde of snakes in the dark courtyard with his drawn sword on low flame, dragging me behind him, with Lloyd and a Serpentine guard in our wake.

“He’s channeling the power of his true potential!” His tone was irritable as he answered me, then shouted behind us to Lloyd’s escort, “Hiro, get your ass up here, and give these snakes Skalidor’s orders!”

 _“That’s_ what it does to you?!” The controller of fire wouldn’t let up on the hold he had on my arm as I pulled myself around to face him and clutched the front of his jacket. I felt a stickiness on his abdomen with my bare hand, and briefly wondered about it, but there was no time to ask. “Why is he _doing_ this?!”

The bailey’s campfires cast ominous, dancing shadows across Kai’s face, almost obscuring the worry that furrowed his brow as he looked back toward the turret. “I don’t know! But he’s planning something rough and reckless, and I’m sure if **_I_** did it, he’d be reaming my ass for it later!”

The guard he called ‘Hiro’ ran up to meet him and attempted to relay to the reptiles surrounding us the general’s message that Lloyd and I would be allowed to leave.

Viewing between their forms, I saw blue-and-silver flashes approaching nearby as Jay and Zane battled their way to us through the teeming enemy. Lloyd appeared suddenly under my unrestricted arm, clutching my gi. I held him firmly to me for a second, half-heartedly offering comfort, but I knew I couldn’t stay with him.

Pivoting back toward the tower doorway, into which more Serpentine persisted in cramming themselves, I could still see the glow of the swirling shafts of light orbiting Cole. The quivering of the earth had not yet slowed, and the unyielding feeling of compression continued to increase, threatening to squash me from the inside out, even though we were nearly a hundred feet from him.

Practically in my ear, Kai barked to the rest of the team, “Cole said to _get out!_ Take her up with you, Jay! I’ll take care of Lloyd!” while Zane was hollering to our brothers, “I will hold them back! Take them and go!”

_Sorry, guys, but you got another thing coming. No **way** am I leaving him! _

The moment my current guardian’s hand released my upper arm, in anticipation that the lightning ninja would take custody, I grabbed a katana from Kai’s back scabbard, pushed Lloyd securely against him, and fled, sprinting for the tower.

It was at that moment that the earth heaved under me, and everything went to hell in a handbasket.

****Skalidor’s POV**

_Magnificent! He cannot be destroyed! I will be undefeatable!_

The golden scythe had begun to gleam and vibrate in my hands a short time before his stunning transformation unfolded. Startled at first, I was unsure of what was going on with the weapon, but I then watched, mesmerized, as the earth ninja’s body became lustrous and crystalline. Drifting up from the floor with arms outspread, he exuded a phenomenal amount of force and energy.

The others around me, including Acidicus, recoiled from the glorious spectacle, but I was enraptured. **_This_** _is what I will soon control **completely!** _

In the next moment, he raised his right arm, with his hand clenched, and dropped to one knee, bringing his fist smashing down to the earthen floor as though he wielded the hammer or club of a mighty hero of legend. The force of it was like a small earthquake, opening a foot-wide fissure in the ground that sped past me and extended under the wall of the battlement, into the castle’s courtyard.

It was then that I realized, much too late, that I had been deceived by the ninja in black, and he was evading my grasp once again.

****Cole’s POV**

Under my fist, the cleft in the packed-dirt floor gaped open just as I’d hoped it would, sending convulsions through the soil like waves against a beach and rocking the tower.

_Huge cracks in the mortar. Wide spaces between the blocks. I **knew** this place would come down easily._

The low rumbling of stones grating against each other was followed by the noise of wooden beams and planks in the ceiling and floors above us cracking and snapping from the friction and pressure of the tower’s movement. Clouds of ancient dust, chunks of limestone and granite, and splintered wooden boards were already dropping from the trembling, tilting fortification as I rose from kneeling.

Skalidor’s hideous face shone with anger at my betrayal and fear for his despicable life as I reached out and yanked my scythe from his undeserving hold.

Beside him, Acidicus was spouting curses at me, insisting that he would finally witness my death, bringing me within a second of using the weapon on him. The work, however, was done for me when he was hit by a large rafter and fell, unconscious, to the ground, bleeding from the head.

A small amount of satisfaction darted through me. _He’d really be spitting mad if he knew he’d met his end at my hands just as his brothers did **.** _

Every other reptile in the place was freaking out, knocking down anyone in the way to be run over as the mass of warriors pressed toward the single door. The crowd’s rush and loss of control created a bottleneck, insuring that only a lucky few were going to make it out of the deathtrap in which they were stuck.

Their terrified screams were drowned out seconds later by a thunderous roar as tons of building materials shuddered one last time and collapsed over us, forever quieting them.

The only thing that got me pissed before the haze of thick dust had extinguished all light was seeing Skalidor diving into the chasm I had created, excavating faster than he probably had in ages. I didn’t really have time to be aggravated about having him get away, though.

As everything fell apart and the granite and timbers relentlessly, but harmlessly, pounded and surrounded me, I had other things to worry about.

Although it was intoxicating, I already knew use of my true potential would sap my strength and energy quickly, could normally only be done in short bursts, like sprinting or power-lifting.

_“You are now down to seventy-four percent. You should have rested longer.”_

To compound the problem, Zane had tried to warn me that I wasn’t at my normal peak, something I had denied repeatedly, even to myself.

_Maybe I should have thought this out more?_

Pushing against the accumulating pressure with the momentum of my element, I extended my arms and scythe above my head in an attempt to rise through the settling debris before it got too compacted.

I could tell by the dimming glow that the luminous appearance of my body was clouding over, changing from golden to silvery-gray, that my power might be ebbing.

As the dust choked me, even through my mask, and I felt the wreckage pressing in on me, I dedicated all of the energy I had left into shoving through it, heading for the surface.

I told myself that the indestructibility of my true potential would last and save me from the catastrophe I had caused.

I _knew_ it would.

It _had_ to.

 _I **have** to get out of this and back to Arwyn_.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_Wha…why…?_

Rooted to the spot, I stared up at the tower that loomed over me in fright and disbelief. The structure was swaying and crumbling, dropping increasingly-larger hunks of rock that bounced and rolled at my feet as the ground continued to tremble.

Alarmed and howling, Serpentine soldiers ran past me like I wasn’t there, intent on retreating from the toppling barbican as quickly as possible.

 _He’s in there_ … I couldn’t move.

“Get out of the way!”

And then I did.

Swept off my feet, I found myself under Jay’s silver-clad arm, rolling in the dirt and grass several yards from where I’d been standing. With a tremendous boom that shook the earth, the spot where I’d stood was suddenly occupied by several hundred cubic yards of broken stone blocks and fragmented lumber that spread out into the inner ward, crushing all in its path.

The rest of the ruins around us were also shifting, disintegrating, and preparing to go down at any moment.

“You could have been _killed!_ Didn’t you see that _coming?!”_ He was shaking me by the shoulders as I sat up next to him on the ground, the firelight shining in his fearful hazel eyes.

Staring at him as if waking from a dream, his words slowly registered with me. _Killed. Cole._

 _“Cole!”_ I scrambled to stand, and Jay followed me up, wincing as he did so.

“Ah, _shit_ , that hurts!” Latching onto my wrist to stop me as I started hurriedly toward the enormous mess of subsiding dust and rolling debris, he pulled his nunchuks from his belt with his other hand. “I have to get you out of here!” I knew the Master of Lightning was looking for more space to activate his jet as he limped— _limped?_ —toward the courtyard’s center.

Digging in my heels, I immediately slowed his progress. “No! I can’t leave him! Cole’s _under_ all of that!” Twisting my wrist in his grasp until it burned, I succeeded in jerking loose from him, but he caught my sleeve in his leather-clad fist.

“He wanted you _out_ of here!” He insisted as Kai, Zane, and Lloyd, who was yelling for Cole, came running up to meet us through the chaos of confused snakes and still-tumbling structures.

On the brink of hysteria, I whirled on him disbelievingly, pointing back to the rubble with Kai’s katana. _“Look_ at that! We can’t just _leave_ him! He’s _trapped_ under there!”

“He’s the Master of Earth, strong as an ox! He’ll get himself out!” he argued with me. But after eyeing the humongous heap of rock, his tone became uneasy and doubtful. “Right?”

I shook my head vigorously while I faced my team, beating back my fear. “Something’s wrong! His element was so unbearably heavy before, but now it’s gradually getting harder for me to feel him!”

After freezing a tenacious pair of reptilian soldiers who were bearing down on us with weapons raised, Zane nodded in agreement with me. “She is correct. I am no longer able to sense Cole _at all_. And he was getting weaker before we started this.”

_‘Weaker’… ? Questions later!_

“See?!” I shouted, yanking my sleeve from Jay’s grasp and turning to head to Cole’s rescue. My way was blocked by Kai’s broad chest bumping against mine.

“We need to get you and Lloyd out of this unstable situation before things get any _worse!”_ His statement was punctuated on our right when the gatehouse and all of the southern inner curtain followed the tower’s example with a resounding, explosive crash.

“Great.” Jay viewed the newly-created pile of stone and sighed dispiritedly. “After all the work I did on the gates and drawbridge…”    

I had had it. Leaning toward Kai, almost on tiptoes, holding his katana between us like I was making a point with it, I screamed, “When the _hell_ did you become such a _stickler_ for following Cole’s orders?! He will _not survive_ if we don’t get him out of there quickly! I will _not_ lose him again! Do you under _stand?!_ I will _die here_ before I leave him!”

The fire ninja’s eyes narrowed angrily at me and nearly glowed in the darkness. _“You_ … _!”_ His finger shook spasmodically in my face as he gnashed his teeth, then gave up in frustration and plucked his katana from my grasp. “I don’t _want_ him to die, but how can we _possibly_ get to him in time if _he can’t help?_ This mess is higher than a house!”

“I have the element of earth, don’t I?” I willed myself to be calm and purposefully pushed past him. **_“I_** will get to him.”

Sounding a little hopeless, Kai followed me to the edge of the massive mound. “We can’t do much to help except to take care of the rest of the Serpentine and move one stone at a time. This is your fight, Arwyn.” _Again_ there was a comment from my dream.

_None of you can leave me!_

“I need light,” was my only statement as I began to walk along the edges of the ground-floor-area debris, searching for a spot where I would feel Cole’s life force most intensely.

All they seemed to need was a leader and a plan.

“I’ll torch the great hall.” Kai sprang into action, heading for the part of the keep that was constructed mostly of timber, old and new.

“I’ll keep an eye out for snakes, and gather wood on the other side of this for another fire when Kai gets back,” decided Jay as he nimbly leaped onto the tottering blocks and crossed them into the outer ward. “Call me when you’re ready to remodel!”

Zane remained at my side, his hand resting on Lloyd’s shoulder as they looked at me a little sadly for hope and guidance. “Where would you like to begin?”

_We so need you, my heart._

****Cole’s POV**

_Gotta… get to it…_

With just the faintest of glows left to my true potential’s radiance, the last fragments of its force, and a lot of effort, I carved a short path through the broken rocks. Making it to the underside of what I supposed was a large portion of flooring constructed of hefty beams, I then created what space I could for myself.

Leaning back and squirming under it was a last-ditch effort to keep most of the shifting debris’ weight off of me since I lacked the strength to go any further. I was then finally able to rest and try to catch my breath.

_Well, Zane … you can say “I told you so”. I’m definitely on ‘E’…_

Stuck in my now-pitch-black tight spot, I found I was unable to move very much, with one arm extended over my head, the other down by my side, gripping my scythe. I tried a modified bench press on the section of wood, but it barely budged.

_Crap. What now? I didn’t really have time to formulate a contingency plan…_

Taking stock of my current situation, things didn’t appear very optimistic. My true potential had completely burned out, all of my energy was drained, and it soon became apparent that my shelter wasn’t as stable as I’d hoped.

Everything was still repositioning to some degree. I could hear it in the continual grinding of the ruins around me, feel it in the quivering at my core, the pulse of the earth alongside my own.

_I’m gonna have a lot of damn trouble getting out of **this** mess…_

And it was slowly, but surely, getting worse.

After a few minutes or so, I happened to notice that the wood was resting on my upper body and helmet more than it had been when I’d first wedged myself there. The stones under me were digging deeper into my back.

_At least my helmet’s keeping my head from being squished like a grape—for now—but I can’t move it at all. Of course, what difference does that make? I can’t see anything anyway…_

_God, I’m so tired… Load on my chest, my stomach… Can’t even take a deep breath. All I can do is pant… Can’t even yell for help._

_And who would even be there to hear me if I could? I ordered Kai to get Arwyn and Lloyd out of the castle. They could be safely miles away by now. And Jay and Z…if they didn’t have more trouble with snakes, they could be with them. All of them, safe._

_Mission accomplished_ … _except that **this** wasn’t part of my plan_ …

Ironic that the cataclysm I’d caused to save Arwyn and the rest of my family from further harm, to destroy as many Serpentine troops as possible, might also destroy me.

_This is **not** how I imagined the end would be…_

I’d expected it to be in battle, not being crushed by the effects of my own usually-great strength, my magnified sense of responsibility, my stubborn determination to insure the protection of my family and loved ones. It was definitely _not_ like I’d hoped…

_I’m not **ready** to go! I was hoping I’d pass of old age, with you by my side, my heart… my Arwyn…_

As I thought about it, my shallow breathing and heart rate were steadily increasing, adrenaline was spiking again, flowing through me, filling me with anxiety, fear, leaving me sweating, restless, needing to _move_ , needing _more_ oxygen, _more_ space, _clawing at the rubble…_

_Gotta get out of here… I **can’t die** here…This is **not** gonna be my **grave!** _

****Arwyn’s POV**

_Here…_ “I feel him the most _here!”_

I looked up hopefully at the sound of stones a little higher above me rolling down the side of the mound I’d climbed several feet up and leaned against with both hands.

_Cole?_

“There! Did you see that, Zane? The blocks that moved?” The flames from Kai’s arson of the dining hall lit up the bailey, brightening our ground zero, allowing me to see all of this side of the downed tower.

From beside me, the nindroid answered patiently, with little encouragement, “Most of this heap is still moving now and then. The stack is unstable, Arwyn. All of it is simply being redistributed with the effects of gravity.”

“Gravity didn’t dislodge that rock!” I gave Zane an annoyed sideways glance. “Cole may be trying to shove his way out!”

The ice ninja’s eyes were dull—and pitying?—for a second, making me ask, “What?”  

“Arwyn, I still sense nothing—”

“It doesn’t matter! He could just be weak!”

_He could be dying…_

“He’s _not_ dying!” I yelled aloud, my hands balled into angry fists, making Zane turn his face to me with his brows meeting.

“I did not _say_ he was dying.” His tone was tolerant.

“…Never mind me,” I mumbled a little guiltily, pushed my hair behind both ears, and climbed one step further up the incline, picking a spot to start digging.

_I **refuse** to believe he’s not getting out of this alive! _

Grabbing a block that must have weighed forty pounds, I hefted it to my shoulder and threw it to my left.

_He’s the frickin’ Master of frickin’ Earth, dammit!_

A seven-foot section of shattered beam was lifted and flipped to the side.

_… A frickin’ **mountain!** He can get **out** of this! _

More stones were tossed aside as I was joined by Zane, Jay, Kai, and Lloyd.

_We will get you out of this._

_I **will** find you._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let others know if you think this is worth reading! Please leave a comment or kudo! Namaste!


	37. Leap of Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole's crushing sense of responsibility and desire to protect his loved ones has left him being literally crushed in the rubble of the castle, with Arwyn and the Masters struggling to save him before time runs out. But Arwyn's elemental skills are still in the fledgling stage, and her confidence in them and herself is weak. Will this be a rescue or simply a recovery mission?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you don't know what the poems in the beginning are, they're my original haikus, a form of Japanese poetry with 17 syllables in three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. The first is just a meditative one, since Sensei is in a trance. The other four are dedicated to each Master of the Elements. I hope you enjoy the read, and please let me know if you did!

_DESTINY’S BOUNTY,_ SEA OF SAND, LATE AT NIGHT

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

breathy, high-pitched flutes

tinkling chimes, rhythmic chanting

thrumming of a drum

 

composed and stealthy

snowflake and glacier can be

gentle or brutal

 

grey sky bursting open

roiling clouds skidding across

spark with brilliant bolts

 

feisty, searing tongues

life-sustaining, life-ending

be ye friend or foe

 

enduring mountains

tall, resourceful guardians

refuse to give way

 

All governed by an unseen force…

Always with me since the gathering of their masters to my bosom. Intensifying since the addition of the heir of the First Master of Spinjitzu.

On this night, through my transcendental state, turmoil was perceived in the unifying energy of nature that was Spinjitzu.

My consciousness of the element of earth, always constant to me, like the ground beneath my feet, had declined slightly while Cole had been in forced hibernation, but had then regained most of its original power.

During my late-night meditation, however, it unexpectedly spiked to a fantastic level before dropping off sharply, and then _not_ recovering its potency.

Vaguely my mindfulness had acknowledged the eruption as the utilization of Cole’s true potential without questioning it.

Immediately following this, the vision I had had the day before unfortunately returned. Cole, in white, with the golden bundle clutched to his chest, toppling from the ledge into the void.

Only, this time, the scene went on, taunting and tormenting me.

I could only watch from above as my admirable pupil fell, turning about slowly to face me, his visage a placid mask. Again and again he mouthed what I thought could be my daughter’s name.

Falling backward through the blackness, the air rushed past him. He opened his arms wide, like he floated on water, and the bundle disappeared.

Cole fell, and yet, his form did not grow smaller as though he was descending, the distance between us did not widen. His gi changed from white to grey, and he remained just out of my reach, growing darker…slowly fading, melding with the surrounding blackness.

It was then that I became aware that the earth’s power in the force of Spinjitzu was growing less and less evident.

Was I observing my earth ninja’s death?

CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS, IN THE NORTHEAST TOWER RUBBLE, LATE AT NIGHT

****Cole’s POV**

…pant pant _…_

_Okay…_

_…_ pant pant _…_

_…calm down calm down calmdowncalmdowncalmdown…_

_…_ pant pant…

Gaining control over myself physically and emotionally, I relaxed as much as I could while still feeling like I was supporting the flooring over me to a certain degree. I knew it couldn’t be by much, however. I could still barely move any of my extremities, and my right leg was getting numb.

 _…You **never** panic over **any** problem, you’re **not** gonna start now, dammit!…Yeah, this **is** pretty bad, but you’re **not**_ _gonna do it…_

_Running around yelling ‘Oh, shit! We’re all gonna die!’ never did anyone any good… Especially when you’re the leader… If you **could** run…_

_Just breathe… Breathe… Even if it’s shallow, you’re breathing… Breathing is good… So long as you don’t run out of air… **Can** you run out of air in something like this? … Surely not… _

_More likely to be crushed or dehydrate and star— Okay, **stop** that **now!** … Starting to sound like Jay ‘House of Cards’ Walker!_

_Close your eyes… Can’t see anything, anyway… Just don’t think about it… Don’t think about where you are… How little space there is… How much tighter this helmet’s feeling… How—What the **hell?!**_

I stopped my futile fidgeting once again.

_Breathe… Evenly… Slowly… Breathe… Okay, getting light-headed… What if I pass out? If I’m holding this up in some way, even just a little, and fall asleep…? **Can’t** fall asleep… Might totally collapse… Tight enough in here already… _

_But… There won’t be much pain… Or it won’t hurt for long…_

I tried to shake my head at myself.

 **_Stop_ ** _it now! You can’t start thinking that way! You have to get out of here… Breathe…_

_Arwyn… Think of Arwyn…Where is she? Did Kai get her out? Is she safe, far away? … In the tower… Holding her that last time … If only I could have known it might have been the last time… At least she knows I love her, that she was what I’d searched all of Ninjago for…_

_Aaagghh! …_

The realization that I may have made the biggest goof of my life hit me hard.

_What did I **do?!** **What** did I throw away?!_

_No… No…Can’t think like that… Had to do what I could to get her and Lloyd out as safely as possible… Didn’t expect this to happen…_

But it had. And now I was stuck, with no one to help me and not enough power to help myself. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had to consider that this might be the end of the line for me.

_If I don’t make it outta here…Will she understand?…Will she understand that I did everything in my power to help her and my family, that I was only trying to help us all? …Will she forgive me?…_

My panting quickened again, and I concentrated on slowing it.

_I’m sorry if I don’t make it out of this, babe… So sorry to hurt you and make you cry… I didn’t mean for **this** to happen… I thought I was strong enough…_

_If only I could see you one more time… Hold you close to me… I **don’t** want to leave you… I never wanted to be without you again… **You** are why my heart beats…_

I could feel the stinging beginning in my eyes, the lump in my throat making it hard to swallow.

… _My heart… Oh, God…_

A tiny, pricking pain over the left side of my chest was preceded by my agitated attempts to move.

_Something digging into my chest… Besides this floor… Must be your earring…Wanted to add a ring to those… Got the perfect one picked out…To show you that I intended to give you everything you could want when all this destiny business was over…_

_A little house in the country, near the forest… Horses, a dog, a garden… A peaceful place to raise our son… And all his brothers and sisters…_

Just like the promise I’d made on her parents’ front porch.

_God, I still want to **do** that! This can **not** be the end! … Must be **something** else I can do! … If I could just **move** … _

But I couldn’t.

_Getting so cold… so thirsty… so… tired…_

_Arwyn… I love you, my dearest heart… If this **is** my end… at least it was for you… Remember me … Don’t give up… **Ever** … _

Even if I had.

****Arwyn’s POV**

_He’s under this… He’s under this… He’s underthishe’sunderthis…_

“So you’re saying you think all of this mess is basically because Cole saw no other way of getting Arwyn and Lloyd out of here without involving them in a lot of fighting and having them get hurt? And he was trying to give us a way out?” Jay laboriously rolled another bulky chunk of stone out of the way as he addressed Kai with a thoughtful frown.

“Pretty much,” grunted Kai, having just finished explaining all that had transpired since the team had parted ways in the chapel. He and Zane were now maneuvering a length of shattered beam while working to keep the stack above us from cascading once again into our cleared area.

The excitable ninja sighed before lifting another jagged piece of mortar. “Why does the big lug _always_ insist on putting everyone _else’s_ safety and welfare ahead of his own?”

“Because Cole cares for us as much as we care for him, perhaps even more, and he sees us all as his responsibility,” Zane answered simply, jumping back as more debris shifted precariously, sending a small avalanche past him into the bailey.

On the ground, Lloyd moved more to the side to avoid the bouncing rock. From the minimal amount of light, I could see with a quick glance that he still sulked after being sent there by Kai who saw our work as too hazardous for the young boy.

And Kai was actually right. We were all so full of bruises from slipping and falling on the dislodging scree, that Jay had finally taken to sitting with his painful leg stretched out while he worked, making little progress.

Trying to soften the attack on Lloyd’s dignity, Kai had given him an alternate assignment. “You can be our lookout for any more Serpentine.”

It hadn’t really helped the little blonde’s mood, however, since he had little to do other than dodge falling stones and watch us at our desperate work. Zane estimated that eighty-seven percent of the castle’s forces had been either crushed by the fall of the fortifications due to Cole’s earthquake or killed in skirmishes before that by the four Masters.

The remaining serpents had been picked off by my guardians as they challenged us, and the rest were thought to have escaped into the moor, including the one who had left the tower with us. Whatever the case, we hadn’t been bothered by any of them in the last several minutes.

At least we didn’t have that headache to deal with while we fought to conquer the huge cairn Cole had created from the fortress which I was praying nonstop was _not_ going to become a memorial to him.

But I was feeling less and less confident about that as the minutes dragged on.

_Hesunderthishesunderthis… Have to find him… Havetofindhimhavetofindhim…_

The four of us had been working as fast as we could. I had begun with a frantic need for haste, moving twice as much debris as the guys put together by utilizing the strength of the element of earth. But that was gradually dwindling on me.

_Havetofindhimhavetofindhimhavetofindhim…_

I could feel the fatigue like a bear on my back, dragging me down, making the blocks I had previously tossed like pebbles now seem more like boulders. The planks of wood were becoming more of a struggle to extract. On top of that was the maddening reality of the physics involved in our situation.

The pile of rubble was about thirty-five feet at its highest point, and we were working somewhere at its middle. The problem was that we couldn’t tunnel to Cole. The loose material above us would have had to have been braced sturdily in some way to allow for that.

Consequently, we were excavating and re-excavating as more and more of the top stack relocated into our cleared area, getting us nowhere fast. And I was acutely aware that Cole’s time was running out.

_Oh, God, please help me! I **have** to find him **soon!**_

“The stupid hall’s almost down to nothing. Went up like fatwood! I’ll start another bonfire with what’s left of the side buildings so we can see.” Kai threw the hunk of stone he was lifting and climbed down the fallen tower to create more light for us while we continued our rescue work. Once on the ground, he called out to Lloyd, “C’mon, squirt! Gimme a hand over here!”

Scowling, Jay examined his comlink. “We’ve been at this for nearly an hour. No wonder it’s dying down.”

_Nearly an hour. Nearly an hour. He’s been buried in this for almost an hour…_

I stopped for a moment to flex my sore back and rub my scraped, splinter-filled hands before diving back into the heap.

Zane spotted me and stopped his work, too.   “Arwyn, I am so sorry! I did not notice that you were not wearing gloves. Here, take mine,” he offered kindly, slipping them off of his hands and trying to give them to me.

“Zane, I can’t. You need them,” I declined immediately, knowing that his lifelike, but synthetic fingertips would likely be ripped to shreds against the rough stones.

He gallantly started to insist. “I will be fine. Any lacerations may seal themselves, or they could be fixed—” but Jay interrupted him.

“Put your gloves back on, Zane. _My_ hands wouldn’t need fixing.” The lightning ninja’s gloves came flying at me from his seated position. “Here, Arwyn, take mine.”   Catching them, I started to protest, but he waved me off, saying, “I’ll just beat up Kai for his if I need some again.”

Pulling on his gloves, I smiled a little at Jay’s remark, but the grin dropped from my face when he asked tentatively, with a troubled demeanor, “Um, not to doubt you, Arwyn, but, are you _sure_ you can still sense Cole?”

His question instantly made me a tad defensive, and I shot back a little testily, “Of _course_ I can! He’s still _alive_ under here!” With renewed vigor, I grabbed a weighty stone and flung it off of the heap. “We just have to hurry up and _find him!”_

“I know, I know!” Jay resumed moving stones as best he could. “I’m just thinking that…it’s been a while. What are the chances…?”

Zane spoke softly from by my side. “Arwyn, the likelihood that Cole has survived th-this…” He stopped when his voice wavered, causing him to turn his face away from us.

Starting to tear up with the ice ninja’s emotional lapse, I broke in quickly, grabbing for another stone. “Zane, no probabilities, please. I-I can’t think about that! I can’t give up!”

Paler than usual, he quickly faced me again and tried to pull himself together, shaking his head in denial. “No, no! I am not suggesting that you do so! I just think that you should be…prepared. As we _all_ should.” It struck me that he was considering the prospect of losing his best friend, and he looked like he would probably be crying if he was capable of it.

I stared at him a moment…then _through_ him…thinking of Cole.

About how patient and kind he was, like when I watched him at the dining-room table most evenings helping Lloyd with study worksheets we’d insisted the school-age boy do every day. And how he could so easily constructively redirect Jay’s hyperactivity or blow off Kai’s sour moods, securing a firebreak around the mercurial ninja.

How he’d renewed my trust, my spirit, by slowly developing our relationship, making no demands on me, and not trying to push me into anything. He was even the one who’d made the decision we would wait for the intimate, physical part of it.

How he was willing to do whatever he could just to be with me, even doing the most mundane things like sharing the washing machine on our laundry day or helping me clean the sweaty, filthy, weight-training room when it was _my_ assignment.

How wonderful he was in every way I could imagine. He was handsome and intelligent without being vain. Considerate and attentive to everyone’s thoughts and feelings, he listened respectfully and actually cared. He was well-traveled and interesting and confident enough to unflinchingly go head-to-head with a Serpentine general, or two, verbally or physically.

How witty and fun-loving he could be, making me laugh at his dry humor. How he’d not minded at all when I caught him alone in the game room doing the Harlem Shuffle and moonwalking to music on his MP3 player that no one else could hear.

How passionate he was when he was talking about his travels, about being a ninja and defending Ninjago, or when he was planning our future and taking me in his arms.

How he seemed to want nothing more than to love and be loved by me.

 _And I should be prepared to **lose**_ _him?! I can’t… I can’t… I **won’t** think like that! I have to have faith… faith that moves mountains! All I have right now is my faith that he’s still alive, the hope that I can get him out, my love for him… and his for me. _

_Our love will protect, trust, endure, it will never end. Without it, I am **nothing.** It **has** to be enough! I **can’t** lose him!_

“Arwyn? …What’d you do to her, Zane?” Kai’s mildly-accusatory question cut into my recollections, making me blink hard at the four males facing me on the side of the mound. The ninja of fire had returned from his arson work and allowed Lloyd to follow him up to help.

Wordlessly, I got back to hauling on the rubble that covered Cole, and the rest followed my lead. After a couple of minutes, Kai hesitantly spoke up again. “This is really slow going, Arwyn. Even with all of us working and you doing the same amount as all of us together…”

“Hey, maybe you guys could whip up something with that Tornado-of-Creation thing you talk about, like you did that time in the Underworld!” Lloyd’s positive attitude was like a beacon in the night until it was extinguished by Jay’s unusually-glum response.

“It takes all _four_ of the elements, Lloyd. Without Cole…it can’t be done.”

Deflated, Lloyd muttered, “Oh…yeah,” and went back to rolling rock.

_Just another reminder of how important Cole is to us all… Have I told him often enough over the last few days how much I love him?_

Placing a gentle hand on my shoulder, Zane made a suggestion I had been considering since we’d started, with many misgivings. “We _do_ happen to have the fourth element among us, and, although I am _not_ proposing that you attempt to assist us with the Tornado of Creation, I _am_ recommending that you utilize your earth-shaping skills.”

Lowering my head along with my drooping shoulders, I took a deep breath. “You _know_ how undeveloped those skills are right now, Zane, how much I _suck_ at it. I’ve barely been able to manage it on _sand_.”  

Exposing my failures and lack of self-confidence to the others wasn’t easy. I couldn’t even look at them. “I’ve tried a couple of times already, and nothing really happened. It’s so _hard_. And I’m afraid it’ll just drain the little bit of strength I have left and possibly make matters _worse_. What if I make a mistake, hurt him _more_ trying to move all of this granite?”

Zane squeezed my shoulder. “You may have tried, but you did not truly focus. You have not stopped working since we began until just now. You have to try again. It may be the deciding factor.”

I sighed as I considered using a power that could prove to be detrimental.

Controlling their elements seemed simple to the four Masters, but they had been doing it for at least two years each now. Try as they might, they weren’t quite able to teach me exactly how they had adapted their practices, so I had found the use of emotions to be easiest for me, though not foolproof.

Fire I fed with anger and frustration. Lightning was similar by using impatience and a need for speed. By emptying myself of other emotions and assuming a coldhearted, unfeeling attitude, I was able to generate ice.

But then there was the issue of the element of earth.

The strength associated with it was something that had manifested itself when I was first exposed to the Weapons of Spinjitzu and was gradually increasing. I‘d had to do nothing to gain that. Cole’s abilities, however, also involved manipulating some of the raw materials of earth, requiring a great deal of effort and a certain amount of aptitude.

Although I longed to be competent with the element commanded by the man I loved, it was proving to be a tough skill for him to teach me, since he had not had to work at acquiring and controlling it himself.

When he had first begun my elemental training, Cole had told me that it was something that had always been with him, like the distant thrumming of a drum at his core. Throughout his life, he had thought it to be the beating of his heart, something of which one was conscious, but took for granted.

Once he had begun his training with Sensei Wu, then obtained his Scythe of Quakes, the slow rhythm he was feeling came to be recognized as the radiating breath of the earth itself, as though our planet was humming to him. What I always sensed from him was more a reflection or a resonance of the actual force.

Security and contentment, things I felt when Cole was around, weren’t useful in directing his element, so emotion was not a suitable tool when trying to mold earth, especially when under stress. I had discovered that when I had attempted to prevent the Serpentine from boarding the _Bounty._ It was something I was working to divine for myself.

Now had come a critical time when I was going to have to put aside my insecurities and make use of the one element I _wanted_ to master, but could not. And I was going to have to apply it to rescue its _true_ master.

I nodded in resignation and with, admittedly, little optimism. “You’re right, Zane. I thought I could do more than I’m doing and faster than I’m doing it. I’ll just have to take the chance and pray I don’t hurt him any more.”

He regarded me with barefaced sorrow. “I fear that we may have nothing to lose at this point.” From the way Jay and Kai avoided eye contact with me, they appeared to be of the same mind, forcing me to come to a realization.

_They don’t think he’s alive…They’re giving up… I can’t._

****Cole’s POV**

Practicing kata on the sunlit main deck of the _Bounty._ The jet-haired boy of about eight years old kicks, then turns toward me in his black gi. Is he… _me?_ No, his eyes are different. Like Arwyn’s.

“You started without me!” Another boy of the same age, brown-haired, wearing a white gi, runs up from below deck. His brows, nose, mouth…I see them in the mirror. But, unlike the first boy, his eyes are light and shaped differently. Zane follows. “You must be more punctual!”

My father observes us from the quarterdeck, laughing. “They are both _perfect!”_ Sensei and Sofiya stand behind him, smiling.

The night sky shimmers with stars above us as I walk to Arwyn. She stands at the railing with a small telescope, smiling up at me. “Wanna see the Orion Nebula?”

I reach for her, but I’m grabbing at the collar of the boy with Arwyn’s eyes, jerking him backward by his jacket. He lands on solid, leaf-strewn ground, rolling away from me in the sunlight.

Cold, unable to move, I’m being sucked into the earth…

… _Hard to breathe_ …

Quicksand!

My _nonna_ appears on the edge of the bog. “Pray always, thanking God for all you have. Especially at times when you’re feeling low and alone.”

_Hard to breathe… Can’t breathe…_

With labored gasping, I woke, unsure of where I was for a confusing moment, agitatedly attempting to move my arms and legs, panting, finally remembering.

_Fell asleep… Can’t fall asleep… Gotta stay awake…_

_A dream…The boys. Was one our son? …Who’ll never… The other? … Dad, Sofiya… on the_ Bounty? _And Nonna?… Been gone a while… Used to tell me to pray… Especially when I was upset or there was trouble…_

_Well, the wolves are practically howling at the door… Guess this qualifies…_

I got my panting under control a little and stared into the blackness. The burden on my head, torso, legs threatened to impale me on the uneven rocks under me. The faint grinding of the stones around me was like white noise.

Imagining Arwyn and everyone dear to me whom I would be leaving behind when I could hold on no longer, I began.

 _Our Father, who art in heaven_ …

****Arwyn’s POV**

_… deliver us from evil. Amen… Please, help me save him._

Mustering my strength and courage, I adjusted my footing on the incline, inhaled deeply, and looked up at the towering, tangled mess I was expected to move.

_Don’t be afraid. Like with surgery, you sometimes have to hurt to heal…_

I started to search for the hardly-detectable vibrations of the earth Cole had told me were always present. They were sensations I was slowly beginning to feel more and more as the days went by, and I found them quickly, purring away like a lazy, comfortable cat at my feet.

With my eyes closed, I stood quietly, the soles of my feet and my lower legs tingled as the miniscule tremors built up, then teasingly worked their way through my body. Leaning forward, I placed both hands on the rubble in front of me.

 _Okay, something’s **got** to give_ …

Visualizing tons of materials moving at my bidding did nothing for a moment, making me almost lose my nerve. But then the slightest motion was felt, and I heard the crunch of limestone mortar being pulverized between granite blocks like they were millstones.

Little sounds of encouragement went up from my teammates as they saw the movement of the mound, but I couldn’t even acknowledge an accomplishment yet. The effort of calling up the earth element was already taking a toll on me when, by this time, I had very little reserve energy to begin with.

My limbs trembled so much that I thought another quake had started at first, but I had to accept that it was from physical and emotional fatigue, instead, as I was also growing short of breath. Little beads of perspiration prickled my body as I opened my eyes to see the debris opening above us, creating a deep, vertical channel that cut downward a few feet from the apex.

Lloyd’s excited voice was heard above the low grumbling of the tower’s broken shards. “You’re doing it, Arwyn!”

His joy, unfortunately, was brief. As focused and desperate as I was, as hard as I was trying, as much as I wanted this to work, it wasn’t enough. All we could do was watch helplessly as most of the progress I had made went sliding back into place without warning, sending small rockslides past us, and burying my hopes under it.

****Cole’s POV**

A forceful throbbing stirred in my chest, jolting me awake. Once again, I’d drifted into unconsciousness.

 _What **was** that? My pulse? _  

No. That was rapid and weaker. This was steady, slower, swelling, like something pushing from within.

_My earth element._

Always having been with me, it was rarely brought to my attention anymore, except at certain times, such as when employing it for earth-shaping, summoning my true potential…or instructing Arwyn in controlling it.

_Why **now?** _

As I thought that, I felt the push from the element increase, then a shifting of the earth.

_Aftershocks?_

No. This came from above, not beneath me.

_Settling debris?_

That didn’t explain the quickening I was experiencing. Its amazing intensity was similar to when Arwyn had harnessed it to shape a few sand dunes.

 _It couldn’t it be_ …

Yet, she was the only other.

_But Kai was taking her… Should be miles away by now…_

That thought was broken off when I realized I could actually see something. A glow at my left side, between the floor and the rocks.

_My scythe!_

It twitched in my hand.

_What the…?_

Becoming more alert, I was in for yet another shock. The constant echo of the rubbing rocks was being drowned out by the sound of a woman crying. Strangely, it came not from outside of the ruins of the tower, but resounded from within my head.

It was the weeping of someone who had lost hope.

_Who…?_

My doubts evaporated, and my hopes rose when I felt an icy-hot, staticky press at my core.

_Am I sensing… Arwyn? The way she senses **us?!**_

I wouldn’t have thought it was possible, but there it was.

She was the only one who could be conjuring the element, the only woman in the castle who could be crying, the only one who would project the feeling of all of the elements.

_Arwyn’s still here… She shouldn’t be, but she is!_

_She stayed for me!_

_She’s searching for me!_

****Arwyn’s POV**

Sobbing. Exhausted. Ashamed. Hurting. Angry. Hopeless. Sorrowing.

Kneeling amongst the stones, with my hands covering my face, I cried, running the gamut of physical and emotional sensations. Zane knelt beside me, his arms around my shoulders, trying to console me. The others sat nearby in empty, desolate silence.

His tone was soothing, belying the sadness in his eyes. “Arwyn, it _is_ a setback, but it may be one you could possibly overcome. You could try again—”

“I can’t do it, Zane! I can’t fool myself! I-I don’t have the power! I don’t have the experience!” Sucking in a deep breath, I continued to sob. “I’m supposed to be the m-most powerful, freakin’ ninja since the First Spinjitzu Master! Why can’t I _do this?!_ Why can’t I _save_ him?! I love him _so much_ , and I-I’m going to _lose_ him!”

Grabbing Zane’s lapels, I pressed my tearstained face against his fitted undershirt. “You saw what I did! I’m only going to _crush_ him! He’s going to _die,_ and it will be _my fault!” My faith is not enough to move this mountain…_

Zane tightened his embrace as though there was nothing more he could say. I had said it all, revealed all the truths of the situation. If I couldn’t do it, if I didn’t have the resources, it wasn’t going to happen. We were not going to be able to get to Cole in time.

_He’s going to die… Because of me!_

Slumping against my brother in white, I quietly gave myself up to my grieving, reaching out with my psyche to gain some comfort from Cole’s weakening life force.

I heard it when I felt it.

_‘Come… to… me…’_

_What?_ I caught my breath, looking up wide-eyed at Zane. _“What_ did you say?”

He raised a brow and blinked at me in confusion. “What…did you _hear?”_

Straining to hear more before I answered him, his silver mantra talisman caught my eye. Reaching up with a fingertip, I gingerly stroked the amulet which hung around his neck. Zane regarded me silently while I closed my eyes again and opened myself, as _Chichi_ had taught me, to whatever I could receive.

_‘Come… to… me…’_

In my dream, those words had not been his, but an imposter’s. They had had a malevolent origin. This time was different.

My fingers closed firmly around Zane’s amulet. _Cole._ I could already feel him. And now I could hear him. Calling to me.

_How is this possible? How does he know?_

It didn’t matter. He was there.

And I could see him. Extending myself out into the metaphysical gulf surrounding us all, I could envision a tiny, wavering, violet light that gradually grew more distinct.

_‘Come… to… me…’_

_I’m here! I’m coming!_

****Cole’s POV**

Her crying had ceased, but the air of hopelessness still hung around me.

_She’s weakening… has no faith in herself… May be giving up…_

The force harbored inside me stirred with vigor as though trying its damnedest to leave me…

_Is it trying to get to **her?**_

She had once told me that we four Masters complemented her, that she felt stronger by simply having us near her. If nothing had happened to them, I was sure the guys would be with Arwyn.

But she was obviously trying to use the power of the earth element, and was maybe having trouble doing so. She already had had problems during practice connecting with it.

_I’m too weak to use my power… But if I could give it to **her** … She could take it… Use it…_

Closing my eyes, shutting out the glow of my scythe, I relaxed as much as possible, feeling the pressure of the debris over me increase, along with my efforts to draw a breath.

This was a leap of faith.

_Take it… all I have…_

The energy of the earth’s force that had always been within me burst forth as soon as I let it go, but did not totally abandon me. It was as though a part of it stayed behind to claim its rightful place and to offer comfort until the rest returned after it had served its purpose.

All I could do now was hope my wait was short.

****Arwyn’s POV**

**‘** _Take… my… strength_ … _my… power…’_

The sudden, dazzling spiral of purple light in my mind’s eye had me inhaling a great lungful of air like an infant taking its first breath. Only, the cry I heard following that was from Zane.

“Arwyn! Are you alright? What has happened?” Behind us, Kai, Jay, and Lloyd were repeating his concerned questions.

Opening my eyes, I saw the ice ninja’s alarmed look as he held me securely by the upper arms. I had fallen back away from him, his talisman still in my fist, its cord taut around his neck.

At the time of the bright explosion, the full brunt of the element had slammed into me, filling me with vitality and a sense of urgency. Out of breath for a second, I quickly tried to adjust to my unexpected renewal of stamina and spirit, but I also got the whisper that it was only temporary.

“I’ve…received a _gift_. From _Cole!”_ Releasing Zane’s charm, I pushed up and away from him, getting to my feet. “I have to use it _now!”_ He let me go, saying, “I may be able to hold it up with ice if it begins to slide again.”

Kai was taking Lloyd toward the ground, probably as a precaution in case of another, more calamitous, collapse. Jay began to step down, but stopped with a grimace, turning back to me to watch. “You’ll get it this time, Arwyn.”

Facing the daunting pile of rubble as before, only this time with more conviction, I came to an understanding that this was do-or-die.

_I can’t screw this up._

My hands clenched into fists as I focused on the remains of what was once a tower, remains on which I stood, under which Cole was buried. As I concentrated on what I wanted the granite and limestone to do, I was infused with the desire to defend, to offer refuge, to nurture and support. Just as the earth itself did for us all.

_‘Take it… use it…’_

Applying every ounce of energy I had, embracing the elemental force that had entered me, I pushed with the iron will of my mind, aiming at the mass that covered Cole. All was silent for a short time, with only the crackling of Kai’s fires being heard.

I realized I was holding my breath when the heap started to budge, the broken fragments retreated from me, protesting as they went. All other thoughts had fled my mind. All of my senses, except my sight, had shut down. The only thing I could think about, the only thing I could see, was the debris moving.

It was excruciatingly slow, one of the hardest things I had ever attempted in my life, draining my energy at a fantastic rate.

But it was working.

Everything from the level of my feet, up, was being bulldozed backward, sliding over the opposite side of the ruins into the outer ward. A thick cloud of dust rose, forcing me to fight the urge to cough as I continued to push until I could see nothing more.

“You did it!” Jay’s triumphant cheer reached me as I went down to my knees, coughing hard to clear the dust from my airway. Looking up through the dispersing cloud, I could see a wide portion of demolished flooring, set at an angle in the wreckage, uncovered by my labor.

“A hand!” Zane’s keen eyes spotted it before I did, right where I’d always felt Cole might be.

Anxiously clambering over the loose blocks, I made it to the section of wooden floor at the same time Zane did, grabbing at Cole’s dust-covered, gloved hand with fear in my heart. My sense of him was at its weakest point yet.

Clasping his hand in mine as I called his name, dread filled my chest like ice when his fingers didn’t move in response.

_God, no!_

Jay was calling down to Kai and Lloyd to get up to us quickly, and Zane was throwing the stones remaining on the planks left and right, preparing to lift it to get to our treasure underneath.

Everyone else came scrambling to help Zane as I frantically worked to strip the glove from the earth ninja’s still hand, searching for any sign of life, my fingers trembling convulsively.

“Cole, baby, please be okay, please be okay, pleasepleaseplease…”

His fingers were cool, but his palm was still warm as I brought it to my lips with tears running down my face, praying that he was just unconscious. As Kai, Jay, and Zane grasped the edges of the flooring, I cried out in relief when Cole’s fingertips weakly caressed my cheek.

“Lift!” With a heave, the three raised the heavy, wooden platform, revealing Cole stretched out on his back beneath it, still wearing his helmet and mask, his uniform grey from limestone dust, his scythe in his grip.

Removing the pressure from his body enabled him to inhale deeply, gasping for air as the guys flipped the wood to the edge of the mound and joined me and Lloyd beside my beloved.

Kneeling at his side, I was still crying thankful, happy tears as the team greeted our leader with joy and concern. Zane scanned Cole’s shivering body for fractures and internal injuries of any kind while I very carefully removed his helmet and mask. His greenish-grey eyes were trained on mine the entire time.

When I had uncovered his face, he gave me a feeble, cocky grin, rasping out between gulps of air, “You d-don’t listen. _*gasp*_ You weren’t supposed to still be here to s-see that.”

Smiling back, I leaned over him, cupping one of his cheeks with a hand while pressing a kiss to the other side of his face and laughing shakily into his ear, “Right. And _you_ were supposed to have outgrown the Y-chromosome stunts.”

Snorting at that, he turned his head a little in Kai’s direction when his brother in red began to half-heartedly scold him. “You don’t listen, either, _hardhead!_ I _told_ you not to try to take out all of those bastards on your own! Lotta good it did! You flattened nearly all of them and most of the damn castle’s down!”

Cole’s grin got wider. “I’m always at least a c-couple ahead of you, Kai. Not my f-fault you can’t keep up with me.”

Lloyd hugged him at the waist, resting his head on Cole’s lower chest without saying a word. The bigger brother stroked the blonde head, closing his eyes tightly as though to hold back tears. I continued to squeeze his other hand in one of mine while also caressing his face.

Jay attempted to bring levity to the moment. “You are _something_ else, Cole! Not only did you KO three-quarters of the platoon by yourself, but you terminated the two big kahunas at the same time!”

A small frown creased Cole’s brow. “Acidicus is d-dead…but Sk-Skalidor dug out.”

Completing his triage, Zane cut in. “We will worry about that at another time.” Turning to me, he gave a short report. “He has no major injuries, but, judging by his low blood pressure and temperature and rapid pulse rate, he may be experiencing some shock.”

I nodded, placing a soft kiss on Cole’s dry lips as his closed his tired eyes. “Then we need to get him to the ground and warm him up a bit before we leave.”

Although objecting as energetically as he could in his state, insisting that he could climb down on his own although he could barely sit up without help, Cole finally had to accept that he was going to be carried down. Zane and Kai each secured handfuls of his black jacket, while I took him by the lower legs. Jay picked out the most stable route, and Lloyd followed with the Scythe of Quakes.

Somehow, we all made it down safely without falling and sustaining more injuries. We had enough to deal with already, with Lloyd and Zane being the only two unscathed members of our group.  

For a while, we all quietly rested in the warmth and light created by the burning side buildings, trying to regain some energy for the long journey home. Cole’s feet were propped on a granite block to help his blood pressure, and I cuddled against him, adding the heat of the fire element to treat his shock.

Lloyd lay on Cole’s other side, huddled next to him, saying his warmth could help, too. I suspected that it was gonna be hard for Cole and me to find chances to be alone for the first few days after we got home.

After a few minutes of exhausted silence, Kai sighed. “I could sure use a drink of water…”

“We all could, and you could get one, too, if Cole hadn’t decided to park the tower on top of the only well,” Jay griped while Zane rewrapped his fractured leg.

“I guess my aim was off. Sue me,” Cole retorted without moving his eyes from my face. Touching my grubby, bloody cheek as I gazed at him while propped on an elbow, he remarked with regret tinged with anger, “The stinkin’ guard _cut_ you.”

Chuckling with a little disbelief, I combed his matted hair back with my fingers. “OMG, Cole! We just dug you out from under an _entire_ castle tower, and you’re worried about a little scratch on my cheek?”

Frowning up at me from where he lay flat on his back, he argued, “It’ll scar—”

Running a finger from his hairline down to the tip of his nose, which I tapped lightly, I made a candid prediction. “I’m getting the idea from hanging with you guys that it _won’t_ be my last.” That made him frown more in the firelight.

Zane tied off Jay’s revised, makeshift splint, then produced rectangular rods of ice for everyone to slake our thirst. Squatting next to Cole, he bit a chunk of ice from his flattened icicle and crunched it for a second before speaking bluntly to his friend. “If you do not mind, commander, I will be taking over direction of this band of ours until we get back to the _Bounty.”_

He didn’t wait for Cole, who seemed slightly taken aback, to approve his nomination and self-election. Looking up at Kai and Jay, who sat nearby, he stated his plan. “As soon as we finish hydrating ourselves, we need to leave here. Jay, you will take Cole directly home as quickly as you can. Kai will follow with Arwyn. I will take Lloyd and stop at the Montanaro home in Castor for our bags.”

Standing, he grinned a bit at Lloyd. “While we are there, you can visit a little friend.” He had Lloyd and me both wondering about whom he was referring.

Kai and Jay agreed without dispute, but Cole had to offer an opposing view to the proposal after swallowing his bite of ice. “I can’t do that, Zane.” He fixed his eyes on mine, saying in a low voice, “I don’t want to be separated from you…”

His heartfelt statement touched my soul and made my eyes sting, but I had to be firm with him. “Neither do I want to be away from you for even a moment, my heart, but, with Jay, you can be home in an hour.”

I prevented his next mulish objection with a fingertip to his lips. “Zane’s thinking in your best interests. You don’t need to spend any extra time traveling, and you and Jay need _Chichi_ and Nya tending to you as soon as possible. The rest of us’ll be home as soon as we can. I won’t be far behind you.”

He gripped my hand tightly, and I moved our clasped hands to his chest, whispering, “And I’ll always be right here.”

“I know. In more ways than one.” He continued to speak softly enough so that his brothers were unlikely to hear him, looking intently into my eyes. “I just knew I was gonna die under there. Then something happened…I heard you. I can _feel_ you now…”

I knew what he was trying to tell me. “And _I_ heard _you_. Something truly special happened—”

Kai rose from his place near the fire and strode impatiently over to us. “Okay, lovey-doveys! You’ll have to finish whispering your sweet nothings back on the _Bounty._ Jay and I are past ready to say _‘sayonara’_ to this place!”

“Yeah!” Jay hobbled over to join the group. “I want to hurry home so I can hear my _own_ sweet nothings and get a little sympathy and TLC from Nya!”

Kai grimaced as he unsheathed the Sword of Fire. “Ugh! Jay, that is making me so sick!”

Our revelation and discussion of our shared, profound experience would have to wait.

Annoyed at the interruption, Cole narrowed his eyes at the two. “Keep your pants on, and gimme half a minute, will ya?” Paying no attention to their grumbling, he sat up with a little help from Lloyd and me, then reached behind his vest armor.

Withdrawing his hand, he presented me with my lost earring while I gaped at him in disbelief. “I happened to find it in your helmet earlier.”

Happily hugging him, then taking the amethyst-and-ruby jewelry from him, I mused for a moment. “You really meant it when you said these signified that you wanted to protect me.”

He shrugged. “I tried, but that’s because I meant the part about loving you and always wanting to be with you even more.”

**_[sayonara=_ goodbye] **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Now that that ordeal's over, there're just one or two more chapters before it's all done. Please comment or kudo!


	38. A Devoted Foundation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Cole's rescue, the team heads home. Prepare for a fluffy wrap-up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO EXCITED that I've had SO MANY hits on my book, but I'd LOVE to get a glimpse of your thoughts on this! Leave a little comment or kudo! 
> 
> I've started posting my next story, "Champion's Bane", a continuation of Cole and Arwyn's misadventurous romance! A little deeper, a little darker... Check it out! 
> 
> My short "Nothing" is worth a read, I think. Yeah, it's a songfic, but not quite what you usually see. I promise. It's funny, angsty, sweet. Try it!

CASTLE OF POISONED DREAMS

****Cole’s POV**

Standing upright in the bailey for the first time since I’d used my true potential was a challenge.  I didn’t realize how bruised, painful, and stiff my muscles were until I tried to use them.  And I hated that feeble, quivery feeling so much.  Thankfully, I had the help of Kai and Zane on either side of me until I got my balance and my blood pressure stabilized. 

While I wobbled a bit with an arm over Zane’s shoulders and one of his around my ribs, I glanced at my wrist.  “Uh, Jay, I may have damaged my comlink a little…”  _That_ was an understatement, judging by the pieces that were missing from the gadget. 

He threw up his hands in an exasperated manner.  “I don’t know _why_ I create such _sophisticated_ equipment for you _dunderheads.”_

_‘Dunderheads’?_

That remark, and my blue brother’s melodramatics, almost got him Arwyn’s cell phone upside his head after I dug the device out of my leather belt pouch. 

Looking at _that_ , I cringed before handing the badly-damaged phone to Arwyn, who was hovering protectively at my side.  _Ouch._

“Um, I’m sorry, babe.  I guess I owe you a new phone.  I had it in my pocket ‘cause your mom and dad had called before I left Castor.  They were worried about you.”

She took it from me and nonchalantly flipped it backward over her shoulder where Jay caught it in the air.  “I don’t _care_ about a stupid cell phone.  I’m just grateful _you’re_ not in the same shape.” 

Abruptly stepping in front of me with a hot, uninhibited look, Arwyn grabbed me by the hair behind my ears and boldly pulled my face down to hers, joining our lips with enough pressure and heat to create sparks. 

Although surprised, and, at first, _very_ conscious of the fact that we had an audience, I gladly gave in to her kiss immediately, closing my eyes, and shutting out all else.  The sensation of her elements was flaring within me as she held my head firmly with her fingers entwined in my hair. 

I vaguely felt Zane shift away from my side, freeing up my arm so I could pull Arwyn against me with both hands behind her hips. 

It was a long and deep kiss, a kiss of two souls joining, dancing a celebration of life, a kiss I would have liked to have had go on and on forever.  Her lips were so soft and warm, so full, so making my knees wanna buckle with the way they were moving on mine.  And her tongue…

… _Mamma mia…_

My head was swimming in such a good way that I didn’t notice I was heading for the ground until I heard Arwyn say my name and felt Zane’s arms under mine, keeping me from crashing. 

Opening my eyes dazedly, I gazed at Arwyn’s beautiful, self-satisfied smile as her fingertips lovingly drifted across my cheeks and neck.  “That was just a little something for you to think about on the flight.” 

I felt nearly as breathless as I had in the rubble.  “…Thank you…”

Kai had bounded to us, and was helping Zane keep me on two legs.  “Wow!  _That_ must have been _some kinda_ kiss!  Jay, I think it’s finally time to make our captain go ‘bye-bye’, or we’ll be here all night!”

Jay shook his head.  “I don’t need _that!_   Just watching them makes me wanna get back to Nya all the sooner!”

“Shut _UP_ already!”  Still hanging on to me, Kai’s yell in my ear made me flinch away from him.

“I love you so, _so_ much,” Arwyn declared to me softly as Zane and Kai each took an arm of mine and walked me backward away from her into an uncluttered spot in the courtyard, following Jay.

My grin was a little lopsided as I kept her in my sight.  “And you _know_ how much I love _you_.”

Glancing around uneasily at the mostly-flattened castle and littered courtyard, she cocked an eyebrow.  “Yeah, I’ve got an inkling about that…”

Turning me away from Arwyn, Zane, Kai, and Jay surrounded me in the middle of the bailey, looking around at each other a little awkwardly.  It appeared that they may have wanted to say something to me, but were having a hard time doing it.

Zane was the first with enough nerve.  “Having you nearly die twice in one day…”  He stopped, then swallowed hard, looking askance at the other two.  Suddenly, he clapped me on the back with one hand, then threw his other arm around me for a brief hug.  Hugging him back, I heard him say over my shoulder, “It is not an optimal way for us to live, my brother.”

There was nothing funny about it, but I tried to chuckle as he released me.  “You got that right!  Maybe we should look into another line of work.” 

Jay kinda laughed at that, and Kai nodded.  Getting serious, I made eye contact with each of them.  “I really appreciate that you all stayed and helped me out, guys.”

Zane looked almost hurt.  “After all you do for us…Surely you do not think that we would not—”

“Hey, that’s what brothers are for!”  Kai waved a hand and tried to act like it was nothing.  “I know you’d never leave any of _us.”_

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jay agreed.  “Yeah!  And, besides that, we couldn’t get Arwyn to _budge_ from here.  In fact, she nearly got squished like a bug by the tower when it went down ‘cause she was trying to run in for _you!_   If I hadn’t tackled her and rolled her out of the way at the last _second_ —”

With what I suppose was a horrified expression, I whirled around to stare at Arwyn, who was standing behind Lloyd several yards away, her arms around his shoulders, as they patiently waited for Kai and Zane.  The thought of what could have happened scared the crap out of me.  “I nearly _killed_ —?!”

“Well, smooth move, _ex-lax!”_ Kai berated Jay, giving his shoulder a hard shove.  “He didn’t need to _know_ about that!  Hurry up and get him home, and try not to _freak_ him out with anything else!”

The Master of Lightning made a face.  “Right!  Time to go!”  Grabbing me by the arm, he led me away from Zane and Kai as they walked back quickly to pick up their passengers. 

I tried to hold him back for a moment, calling out hopefully to Arwyn as she was mounting Kai’s Blade Cycle behind him, “Do you think I could get _one more_ of those kisses before we go?” 

She laughed as she was donning my helmet, but didn’t get a chance to answer me, being overridden by Jay’s exclamation of “Not a _chance_ , Casanova!” 

In the next instant, the Storm Fighter’s cockpit had surrounded us, and we were rocketing through the midnight sky, leaving the Castle of Poisoned Dreams far behind us.

* * *

 

I didn’t usually care to fly with Jay.  He tended to be a bit of a daredevil and liked to show off in the jet, sometimes getting as reckless as Kai would be if _he_ flew.

 _And_ I tended to get motion sick when I traveled by air or sea, no matter how smooth the trip, so _that_ wasn’t a good combination.

Thankfully, with Jay’s never-ending chatter to Nya over his comlink, the hum of the engines, my exhaustion, and the fact that I could now relax and breathe without fear of being crushed to death, I was lulled to sleep fairly quickly.   The one-hour flight to the _Bounty_ seemed almost instantaneous.

Before I knew it, Jay was waking me to prepare for our landing beside the ship, then dropping me without much warning on my butt in the sand, making me feel every bruise I had. 

“Thanks, Jay,” I grumbled as I got to my hands and knees.  After standing with his help, I brushed grit from my gi while we waited for the cargo lifter.

“What?  You’re already filthy!  Don’t tell me the Master of _Earth_ is bothered by a little dirt!”  The cargo lifter was coming to rest, and he reached for the gate, then limped in after me.  “By the way, I don’t know what’s going on, but Nya said Sensei’s been really antsy the last couple of hours before I contacted her, so I’m not sure what we’re in for.”

I was hoping it wasn’t anything we needed to worry about.  As soon as we reached the torch-lit main deck, Sensei and Nya were on us, with Nya throwing herself into Jay’s welcoming arms, exclaiming, “My poor baby!”

 _Oh, for the love of—…one little crack in a bone…It’s not like he was buried under a castle tower…_  

I was laughing to myself about that when Sensei approached me, glanced between Jay and me, and murmured with what sounded like affectionate relief, “My sons…”

Barely taller than Arwyn, he came to just a tad higher than my chin, so I was looking over his bald head in astonishment at Jay and Nya when he all of a sudden wrapped his arms around my torso in a tight hug. 

They, of course, didn’t catch that, since they were too occupied with their game of tonsil hockey in the cargo lifter beside us, and Sensei’s hug was so brief I hardly had time to react. 

_No one will ever believe me…_

Stepping back from me right away, he avoided looking me in the face, turned and headed for the below-deck stairway.  “I want you to shower, then meet me in the infirmary to check on your condition.  Follow us, Jay.”

Obedient as usual, albeit a little slower, I followed him across the deck.  Perhaps I was a little too close, running into his back when he stopped suddenly at the top step, making him grunt when we made contact. 

“Oops!  Sorry, Sensei…”  I grabbed him just to make sure I didn’t send him head over heels down the stairs.  I didn’t need to break him.

“At least _you_ always listen,” he responded with a raised eyebrow as he looked back around me at the two still hard at it in the cargo lifter.  “Jay!  I meant _now!”_  

Showering was not as pleasant as usual, since the soap and hot water made me feel like alcohol was being rubbed into every single scrape and cut I had.  Because of that, I got it done _very_ quickly, then pulled on a highlighter-yellow T-shirt and grey running shorts before heading to the infirmary. 

There I found Jay sitting on the cot with Nya at his feet, adjusting the new walking boot she had hastily put together for his fractured lower leg.  She looked up when I walked in.  “I got calls from Kai and Zane while you were showering.  Kai and Arwyn’s ETA is in just over two hours.  Zane and Lloyd were still not to Castor, so they’ll be a little longer.”

“Thanks, Nya.”  I wondered how I was gonna wile away two hours while I worried about Arwyn getting back to me safely.  From watching Sensei, I figured he was sure to fill some of my time.  He was industriously digging through the cupboards for anything and everything like he thought I’d had a traumatic amputation or something.

At his command, I stripped to the waist to allow him to look me over for anything that might need to be stitched closed.  Nya finished up with Jay and joined us at the padded exam table by the sink to offer him her assistance.

When he had satisfied himself that I’d live, our master instructed Nya to take care of treating all of my wounds while he went to his quarters to prepare a tea.

After she deftly stitched one small laceration over my shin, using a technique Arwyn had taught her, she began to follow Sensei’s order to apply an antibiotic ointment to my multiple other minor injuries.

All was quiet in the room while Nya smeared the ointment over my arms and back, then moved to my chest and abdomen.  I hadn’t been paying much attention to Jay, trying my best not to flinch while she did her work, but, apparently, he was having an issue over on the cot.

“Could you two try _not_ to enjoy that _quite_ so much?”  His question kinda threw me.     

Nya and I both turned to him in confusion, saying together, “Excuse me?”

Jay’s expression looked worried and painful at the same time as he spoke to Nya.  “The _rubbing_ …all _over_ …”  He gestured toward me like he was giving a bad massage.  “…all of _that!”_     

“Looking at all of those pecs and deltoids and biceps and abs… He’s making me feel like a scrawny, pigeon-breasted _wimp,_ while you look like you’re about to take a _bite_ out of him!It’s like I’m the guy on the beach about to get sand kicked into his face by the muscle-bound bully so the _hotter_ guy can steal his girl!” 

Nya stopped daubing the ointment long enough to put a hand on her hip and glare at Jay with annoyance.  “I am _not_ ‘rubbing him all over’ or wanting to _bite_ him!  I’m covering his scrapes with salve!  Where do you get that we’re _enjoying_ this?”

He’d just made my head get bigger with his less-than-confident remarks, but I tried _not_ to show that as I addressed the part of his comment that offended me.  “C’mon, Jay.  Have I _ever_ bullied you?” 

“Well, in the bunkroom when you and Kai—” 

“That was _one_ time!” I cut in with a raised finger and a squint of my eyes.  “And I thought you were _over_ it!’

“What the frick ever.”  He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms in front of him with a pout.  “Watching you almost makes me wonder if you have something going on behind my _back.”_

 _“Seriously_ , Jay?”  I could tell Nya was losing her patience while she stared at him with a frown.

_Okay, let’s make this fun…_

Putting an arm around Nya’s shoulders, I drew her closer to my side with a sigh.  “Ah, Nya, sweetheart, we’d may as well stop denying it.  After so many months, he’s finally on to us.” 

That made him sit up straight on the cot while she stiffened against me with a warning hiss.  “Cole…”

I tried to look apologetic while I teased Jay and got in an overdue, retaliatory jab.  “Sorry you had to find out about us like this, dude.  I guess _you’re_ better at keeping secrets than I am, huh?”

The poor dear’s eyes got bigger in his pallid face as he leapt to his feet and looked quickly between Nya and me, not wanting to believe, but being just insecure enough that he did.  “Nya?  Would you really…?  Cole, you’re my _brother_ …You have _Arwyn_ … _Why?_   Why would you stab me in the back?!”

“Oh, this has been going on _long_ before Arwyn got here.  Hasn’t it, doll?” I said, lifting Nya’s chin with a knuckle while she glared at me like she was gonna skin me alive. 

“And, if you had all of _this_ …”  Putting on a conceited grin, I motioned to my exposed, beat-up, and glistening upper body, flexing some of the muscles that were causing him distress.  “…Wouldn’t _you_ feel like you had an obligation to share it with _all_ the ladies?”

Just before Jay completely lost it, Nya pushed away from me, rolling her eyes and facing him.  “Oh, for crying out loud!  Do you _really_ think if Cole and I had something going on he’d tell you about it like _this?_   Or _at all?!”_

Going to the sink, she washed her hands vigorously while fussing at me.  “Cole, stop messing with him _right now!_   You _know_ how he is!  Now I’ll have to spend the next hour just stroking his ego!”

I smirked.  “Try to keep it to just the ego…” 

She gave me a vicious punch in the shoulder for _that_ one. 

“Oww!”  _How can such a petite woman hit so hard?_  

Kneading my arm, I couldn’t help but laugh.  “Sorry, Nya, but he’s just too easy!”

Jay wilted with relief when he realized he had nothing to worry about.  Huffing indignantly, he sank back down onto the cot.  “Oh, and you’re _not?_   I seem to remember someone getting all ‘cray cray’ just because I said Arwyn’s name in my _sleep!”_

 _“That_ was different!”  _Kinda_ …

Before we could get into another debate about that, I demurely covered my nipples with my fingertips and turned my back to Jay with an exaggerated shyness.  “Nya, would you mind taking the insecure, wimpy, cream puff out of the room to preserve my modesty and his _sanity?”_

“Who you calling ’cream puff’?!”

Taking him by the arm, Nya led her man out into the hallway.  “You need a bath and some sleep.  You are _seriously_ hallucinating!” 

As soon as the couple had vacated the room, Sensei Wu came back in, carrying a tray which held his little blue, china teapot, two matching cups, and a sugar bowl.  A rolled tatami mat was under his arm.  “Ah, I see Nya is done with you.”  I donned my T-shirt and nodded, still chuckling over Jay. 

He placed his tea essentials on the counter and unrolled the small, brown mat on the floor.  “Then you can lie down on the cot in here and get some sleep after we talk a few minutes.  I want you to rest in the infirmary for the remainder of the night so I can check on you easily from my chambers.”

I sat down on the edge of the cot, but shook my head in denial of his suggestion to nap.  “I can’t sleep, Sensei, I’m too keyed up.  After my debriefing, I’m going to go watch TV in the game room until Arwyn and Kai get back.  I’ll have the intercom on in there, just in case they call for some reason.” 

Leaning forward with my elbows on my knees, I clasped my hands together and added earnestly, “I want to see her as _soon_ as she sets foot on this ship.”

His mustache twitched as he observed me with a tiny, concerned frown, saying, “Jay gave Nya as detailed an account of everything that transpired tonight as he possibly could.”  I lowered my head, letting my damp bangs drop down, waiting for a lecture. 

“He, however, was not _with_ you while you were entombed.  I wish to know all that you experienced, then I _expect_ you to get the rest you so greatly need,” he finished firmly.

I lifted my head and shook it again, making eye contact with him.  “I _won’t_ be able to sleep until I see Arwyn again,” I informed him with a bull-headed attitude.

He studied me fixedly for a moment, but didn’t seem annoyed.  “Um, _hmm.”_   Pivoting back to the counter, he busied himself with preparing the hot beverages.  “Then let us have tea while you explain everything.”

After he had handed me my cup and settled silently into seiza, I related all I could remember about the ambush and consequent rescue mission.  I included everything I had done in the tower.  And _why_ I had done it.

Giving me his rapt attention the entire time, Sensei kept my teacup filled, but said not a word.  Following up with what had happened before I was rescued, I tried to understand it myself. 

“I was determined to get out, but I was too weak to use my element.  I couldn’t see how that was gonna happen…I was prepared to _die_ …And, you know…it’s funny, but I didn’t see my life, my past, flash before my eyes like some say can happen.”  Still sitting with my elbows on my knees, I stared down into the bottom of my half-empty teacup.   

“Instead, I saw some of what I’d be _missing_ … _That_ really upset me.”  I drained my fourth cup of the unfamiliar, bitter tea, grimacing a bit. 

I didn’t like the taste that no amount of sugar could improve, but I was thirsty, and he kept refilling it, so I was dutifully drinking it.  “Then something strange happened.  I’ve never experienced anything like it, Sensei.”

“It was like my element was a physical being within me, and Arwyn was calling it for help.  And it was bound and determined to go to her…whether I wanted it to or not.” 

My master barely batted an eyelash throughout my monologue, simply nodded and stroked his long beard which reminded me more and more of an albino python.

“I heard her crying, yet I could hear nothing else around me.  I could even _feel_ her, the elements within her, her hopelessness, her desperation.  I _know_ we were communicating, but I’m not sure _how.”_   I yawned deeply, politely covering my mouth with a hand.  I was getting really sleepy for some reason.  “Somehow we were working together, our souls were in sync…”

“We weren’t really able to talk about all this before we left the castle, with everyone else around.  She just said that she could hear me and something special had happened to her, too.”  Sitting up straighter, I yawned again and blinked hard, since my eyelids seemed to be drooping on me.

Scrubbing my face with both hands, I ran them back through my hair.  “Now I can sense her when she’s nearby, just like she does with…”  In midsentence, I forgot what I was saying.

As I had given my report to Sensei, I hadn’t paid any heed to whether or not he was enjoying _his_ tea.  

I hadn’t noticed that, although he had poured tea for both of us, he didn’t drink any of his.  Not a single drop.  That fact finally crossed my mind when my head thumped the wall behind me.  Good thing I was already sitting on the cot. 

Groggily lifting my head, which felt like it weighed about a hundred pounds, I looked at Sensei through narrowed, crossed eyes.  “Did you… _drug me?”_   My incredulous words sounded quite a bit slurred.

Even in my foggy state, he seemed unperturbed by my accusation.  “That _may_ have been a special tea…” 

“You…are a _sneaky…_ frickin’ SOB, Wu…,” I got out before slumping sideways on the cot’s firm mattress. 

Succumbing to the velvety blackness, I almost missed his smug response.  “Never forget it, Montanaro.” 

****Sensei Wu’s POV**

For a few minutes, I watched Cole as he slept peacefully, his battered body completely limp, his tousled, black bangs covering his brow.  It reminded me of times I had watched Arwyn sleep as an infant and toddler. 

Satisfied that he would definitely get the rest he needed to recharge, I was still not proud of myself for my mildly-deceitful act.  However, I _knew_ he would not have rested otherwise, refusing to take a break until everyone else on the ship, especially Arwyn and Lloyd, had been bathed, treated, and put to bed.

After all he had been through, I could not have him making himself even more unwell because of his concern for everyone else’s welfare.

Besides that, it was an amusing thought that if he was to one day become my son-in-law, instilling a small amount of wariness in him toward me _now_ might be an advantageous bonus for me in the future.  

Rising from the tatami mat, I reached over Cole to the cabinets he and Kai had built and removed a cotton blanket from the folded stack Arwyn kept there.  Nya appeared in the doorway, seeming surprised to find Cole asleep.  “Is he okay, Sensei?”

Taking in the ninja leader’s sagging form, I unfurled the blanket and covered him with it.  Bending to retrieve the teacup from where it had fallen to the wooden floor, I answered nonchalantly, “Of course.  He is understandably _very_ tired and just wishes to sleep a while.” 

Setting hands on the earth ninja’s shoulders, I instructed her, “Just get his feet and help me make him more comfortable on the cot, then I would like _you_ to get some rest before everyone else gets here.  I may need your help at that time.  I will be watching over Cole in the meantime.”

* * *

 

It was about two hours later, close to three-thirty in the morning, when Arwyn and Kai stepped onto the main deck of the _Bounty_ from the cargo lifter.  Standing at the lifter’s controls, I watched the pair as they strode confidently toward me, restraining myself from rushing forward to clasp my daughter to me.

They made an impressive duo, I thought, both in uniform, seeming so bold and strong.  She carried the Scythe of Quakes in one hand, while Kai held his Sword of Fire and led her with a hand gripping her upper arm.

It was as they drew nearer and the light of the railing torches hit them better that my idealistic thoughts unraveled.  As with Jay and Cole, my heart nearly broke when I saw how unkempt and worn out they actually were.

Both were covered in grey dust, like the two in blue and black had been.  Stripped of most of her armor and all of her usual weapons, Arwyn wore Cole’s helmet, instead of her own.  When she removed it as she approached me, I could see that her eyes were puffy and tired, and dried blood from a large cut on one cheek was smeared across her grimy skin.

Kai was in little better shape, his uniform mostly intact, but blood-spattered, and he, too, looked weary.  The front of his jacket gaped open, as well, showing a lengthy, bloody gash on his muscular torso. 

I would never get used to the sight of these young ones who were so dear to my heart returning to me so bedraggled and knocked about. 

_So long as they return…_

Kai released Arwyn, allowing her to nearly collapse into my waiting embrace which she returned with a prolonged squeeze.  Although I tried to conceal it, he must have seen something in my distraught face over her shoulder. 

He grinned tiredly and patted my shoulder.  “If you think _we_ look bad, you should see the _other_ guys, Sensei.  Who’d have thought you could make ruins out of ruins?”

When I eventually freed her, I motioned to Arwyn and Kai to follow me below deck.  “I want you both to bathe, then meet me in the infirmary for treatment.” 

Arwyn immediately tried to delay that.  “I need to see Cole _first_ , _Chichi._ How is he?”

Their devotion for one another made me think of Mavé and me, but, still, I sighed _.  “He_ is resting.  _You_ need to—”

“Let her go, Sensei,” Kai interrupted me with a laugh.  “She’s done nothing but worry herself sick over him since he and Jay left the castle.  In the meantime, she’s made _me_ sick of listening to it!”  He grinned at her and put his arm around her shoulders as she cut her eyes sideways at him.  “It made for a _really_ long ride!”

Entering the infirmary with Arwyn a moment later, I noticed that Cole had not moved at all from the position in which Nya and I had originally placed him on the cot.  It appeared his slumber would be very restful.

On seeing him, Arwyn dropped to her knees at his shoulder, lightly brushing the hair away from his forehead and gently pressing her cheek to his.  He never stirred.  “He’s sleeping so soundly.”  Holding his hand, her utterance sounded mildly amazed.  

“Um hmm.”  As I watched her, I set my jaw, noting the bloody lines across her back with a pang.  Cole had angrily informed me about her injuries, but it still caused me angst when I imagined what Mavé’s child had undergone. 

Besides that, the tattered remains of her jacket, devoid of the embroidered snake, were a symbol of the Serpentine’s attack on all which we fought to protect.

She caught my expression when she stood by the bed and began to remove her vest armor, guessing correctly at why I looked aggrieved.  “My back’s not so bad.  Just stings a bit, really sore.  It’s what I get for refusing to admit defeat.” 

I could not bring myself to speak, expecting my voice to shake.  I could only stand there, feeling helpless.

Taking off her jacket, she inspected it thoughtfully.  “You know, I always dislikedthat thing.  I couldn’t understand why the Masters all have emblems representing their elements on _their_ jackets, but I have this repulsive snake.”  Giving me her attention, she frowned a bit.  “I’ve always _hated_ snakes.”

“It made more sense to me that I should’ve had your flower of tranquility, since I _thought_ I was supposed to bring peace to this place.  But, now I remember how you said when you gave it to me that it was a warning to them, that I will bring about their downfall.” 

I bowed my head a tad at the memory. 

Taking my hand, she said purposefully, “If you wanna get me another one, I intend to wear it with more honor and perseverance.  They may be on my back, figuratively and literally, but after what they’ve done, and knowing what they intended to do, they _will_ be conquered.”

****Cole’s POV**

_…Oh…yeah_ …

Making out with Arwyn was _so_ incredibly hot…sensual…arousing…wet…

 _Wet?_  

She was erotically licking me, her smooth, warm tongue lapping over my neck, my ear, my cheek….

_My forehead?  A little kinky… but, hey, I’m good with it…_

I was okay with _that—_ she could even go _lower—_ but then she scratched the _heck_ outta my shoulder.

“Whoa, babe…getting a little _rough_ there…”  That just made her licking _more_ frenzied.

“Uh…kinda much…”  The tongue bath had me suddenly opening my eyes, finding myself nose-to-nose with a shiny, black one surrounded by white-and-tan fur.  

“What the _he—?!”_   I couldn’t get away quick enough to avoid the sopping-wet organ that swiped clear across my mouth.  “Aahh!”

Hurriedly bringing myself up onto an elbow, I faced A-Cappella who bounced up and down feverishly on the floor of the infirmary with his front paws on the edge of my cot.  He was doing his best to get at the last dry spot on my chin. 

Grabbing the blanket that I had nearly kicked off of me, I tried to wipe some of the slobber from my face.  “That is just _gross!_ What is he doing _here?!”_

“He loves you!  Can we keep him?!” 

Looking past the puppy, I saw Lloyd happily sitting up on a pallet on the floor near the foot of my cot.  Sensei was in the lotus position on the tatami mat in the center of the room, cracking an eye at me.  Arwyn slept curled on her side on the padded exam counter.  The wall clock near the sink read eleven-twenty-three AM.

“Can we keep him?” Lloyd repeated, crawling over to the pup and distracting it from trying to drown me in saliva.  He was giving me _those_ eyes.  “Your dad said it was okay if we do, but if we don’t, _you_ have to bring him back _yourself_ so he can see that you’re alright.” 

Swinging my bare legs over the side of the cot and combing my hair with my fingers, I mumbled, “Thanks, Dad.”  A little louder I stated, “Looks like I’ll be making a trip back to Castor _really_ soon, then.”

“Aawwww!”  I hated to disappoint Lloyd, but, _really?_   _“Why_ can’t we keep him?  I’ll take care of him!  He won’t be any trouble!”

_Again.  Thanks, Dad._

With a hand on his shoulder, I stopped his begging.  “We’ll discuss it later, buddy.  Why don’t you take him out for a walk on the deck?  He may have to do his business, so let it be there, okay?” 

_And stop giving me those eyes!_

Once those two were out the door, I inclined my head toward Arwyn, who was still snoozing, and eyed Sensei suspiciously.  “Did you slip _her_ a mickey, too?”

He shot me a slighted look, answering curtly, “I did _not_ have to do so.  After she and Kai had showered and were treated, she and Lloyd took up positions and have slept well all morning.  Until you started your hullabaloo.”

Grunting with skepticism, I stood slowly and made my way to the sink, pleasantly surprised at how energized I felt, even though I was stiff and sore as hell.  As I washed my hands and face of all traces of dog spit, I gathered that part of the reason I was doing so well was due to the fiery spark I was getting from Arwyn. 

_Not a bad feeling…_

Of course, the several hours of sleep Sensei had duped me into had helped a lot, also, but I wasn’t _about_ to admit that to him.

Drying my face with a towel, I could hear Arwyn’s deep inhalation as she began to wake on the counter next to me.  Hanging the towel on its hook, I stooped next to her until the tip of my nose was only a couple of inches from her own.  I wanted my face to be the first thing she saw when her molten-chocolate eyes opened. 

It was as I had planned.  “So awakens my reason for living.”  I smiled, running a fingertip along her jawline.  It wasn’t easy to ignore the inch-long, arrowhead-shaped laceration Nya had stitched under her cheekbone. 

Her eyes crinkled slightly as she responded, “My knight in shining armor…”

“Hmmph!  A _knight?_   Such twaddle!” came from behind me.  “I will check to see that someone is preparing a noon meal before I have to listen to any more of these silly terms of endearment.”  Sensei’s sandals shuffled out of the infirmary.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear what I clearly heard,” I told Arwyn with a grit of my teeth behind a tolerant grin.

“May as well,” Arwyn sighed as she propped herself on one elbow.  “It’s not gonna change any time soon.  Just be glad you’re not dealing with _Ryo_ every day.”

“Oh, believe me, I am!” I assured her as she sat up on the exam table and hung her legs over the edge.  “One of my mottos has long been ‘It can always be worse’.”

Laughing lightly, she pulled me by the arm to stand between her knees, brushed my bangs off my brow with a fingertip, and wrapped her arms around my neck.  “You’re right!  We can only hope and pray it never _is.”_  I got a brief kiss on the mouth.  “How are _you_ feeling this morning?”

“Absolutely _mah_ valous, now that I have you back!”  Slipping my arms around her waist, I leaned in closer, pushing her hair from her shoulder and nibbling her neck with my lips, loving the way she moaned under her breath. 

It wasn’t quite enough to keep her mind off of _everything,_ though.

“Cole?  Speaking of how things could always be worse—how did you and Zane keep from being killed during the ambush?  Kai only said that Zane protected you with ice when you passed out, and then fought off the Serpentine.” 

 _Good going, Kai_ …

I didn’t pause in my nibbling, moving up to her ear and tracing the shell-like curves with the tip of my tongue, making her moan again.  Although I was hoping to divert her attention from the subject so that I wouldn’t have to admit how closely I’d come to dying a couple of times yesterday, she was a persistent little cuss.

Leaning away from me, irksomely breaking the contact of my lips to her ear, she looked me right in the eye.  _“How_ did he do it?” 

_Dang it._

While I didn’t _want_ to lie to her, considering everything else she’d dealt with, I was _not_ going to divulge the specifics I knew could possibly send her into hysterics.  Not right now, anyway. 

After kissing her cheek, I went back to work on her earlobe, taking the soft skin behind her earring gently between my teeth and mumbling, “It was just like Kai said, not much else.  Z threw up a wall of ice, I was safe.” 

I knew the details were safe, too, as far as _Kai_ was concerned, since there was no way in _hell_ he was gonna let slip that he’d had to fight my hypothermia by snuggling in bed with me.  While I was naked, no less.

She took a breath to say something else. 

_Quick, change the subject!_

“I think it’s awesome that I was able to share the power of my element with you, and I love being able to sense you now!”  She made a little sound of agreement in my ear, and her arms tightened around me. 

Keeping up the neck-nuzzling, I ran my hands slowly up her rib cage, grazing the outside curves of her breasts, just for extra interference with her concentration.  She arched against me, urging me on. 

This was certainly taking _my_ mind off of the conversation.

Naturally, we had an intrusion. 

“Hey, guys!  Ooh…I’m interrupting something, aren’t I?”  I whipped around to find Jay in the doorway with an evil grin stretching his mug.  “Oh, well, _not_ sorry!” he chortled at me.  “But don’t stop on _my_ account!  I came to remind you that you had wanted us all here for lunch today, Cole, so, lunch is served.” 

I was still standing between Arwyn’s knees, _obviously_ engaging in an intimate moment, and _knew_ he could hear my low growl, but he refused to leave, paying me back for last night.  “Nya and I fixed my mom’s recipe for beanie-weenie-supreme casserole, corn bread, and Brussels sprouts!  Uh, they’re _separate,_ not mixed all together.”

“’Beanie-weenie supreme’?” Arwyn repeated doubtfully.  “And Brussels sprouts?”

I was seconding that attitude.  “Jay, it’s been nearly twenty-four hours since we last ate, and you fixed _beanie weenies?”_

He stood up for his menu choice with, “Hey, it’s a _big_ casserole!” 

“And that makes it all _better?”_ I threw back.  “Are you trying to give us _epic_ gas?”

He refused to acknowledge that, informing us teasingly, “Zane made oatmeal-peanut-butter-cookie bars with chocolate frosting.”

 _“That_ makes it all better,” I said decidedly.

“Wait, that’s more fiber,” Arwyn intoned.

“Doesn’t matter anymore.”  I lifted her from the counter, set her on her feet, and made for the door, dragging her by the hand behind me.  It was dessert, _and_ it had given me a reprieve from our discussion.  “We should eat dessert first, Jay.  Life is short, you know.”

He started limping in the direction of the dining room.  “No way.  I wouldn’t want you to ruin your appetite for lunch.”

“Mercifully, that may have been done already…”

****Arwyn’s POV**

Lunch was…interesting…and cheerful.  Everyone was still running off of the adrenaline high of our successful rescue mission and trouncing of the Serpentine. 

Conversation varied from the outcome at the castle to what color collar, complete with its own tracking device, Jay was going to fabricate for A-Cappella.  The spirited little dog seemed to have already been voted in as the newest permanent resident of the _Bounty._

Oddly, there seemed to be an hours-long gap in the timeline of the last twenty-four hours.  Every time I brought up what had happened between the time we were hit with the anesthetic gas and when the guys got to the castle, Cole or Kai instantly found something else to talk about, and the others, even Nya, joined them. 

Something was rotten in the state of Denmark.

The afternoon was spent in a leisurely fashion.  Sensei had said there would be no training for several days while we all rested and recuperated, especially Cole and Jay.  The latter kept chomping at the bit to move around more, but, each time, Nya brought him back into port quite easily with an offer of sympathy and a little cuddling.

Cole and I tried repeatedly to find chances to be alone, but we were often foiled by Lloyd, who seemed to be determined to stay in the earth ninja’s back pocket.  The couple of times we _were_ successful, I was unable to question him in depth, since he kept getting me involved, _not_ unwillingly, in other activities.  Things that didn’t exactly require talking…

When it came time to prepare supper, I figured I’d finally get my chance to interrogate Cole about those lost hours.  He was scheduled to cook that night, so, as we often did, I’d assist him.  As it turned out, I got my information in another way.

I was pressing out the dough for olive focaccia while Cole fought his alfredo sauce to keep it from scorching in the saucepan about the time Zane appeared at the door to the dining room.

“Cole, I am sorry to take your help, but do you think I could borrow Arwyn for a moment?”  Speaking to me, he said, “I need your opinion on something right away.”

Cole’s glance at Zane was cautious.  “Uh…”

“I will not keep her long,” the ice master assured him as he led me out of the kitchen to the men’s bunkroom, where Jay and Nya sat waiting on Zane’s bunk.

Zane motioned for me to take a seat on Cole’s bed, then jumped right in.  “Has Cole told you anything about how he escaped execution by the Serpentine?”

 _Oh, geez, do you have to word it that way?_ Scowling, Ishook my head.

“Neither do I believe he will do so any time soon, and I think you should know.”

Numbly sitting in stunned silence and gripping my knees, I listened as Zane informed me about what he’d done in the abandoned auto-parts store to protect his leader, and how he’d been unable to keep Lloyd and me from being captured.  He then shared all of the particulars concerning Cole’s physical condition following the ordeal. 

After that, Jay took over, delighting in giving a detailed description of how Kai had essentially brought the light of my life out of a hypothermia-induced coma. 

I was finding it difficult to breath.

I was also having a hard time imagining Kai cozying up to my naked Cole in such a small bed.   

That’s when Lloyd and Kai wandered into the room with A-Cappella scampering behind them.  The fire ninja went off like a small volcano.  _“Ohmigod!  Are you telling everyone about that?!  I said it wasn’t supposed to leave that room!”_

“Chillax, dude!”  Jay waved away Kai’s outburst, knowing he had the upper hand.  “We’re just letting Arwyn in on it, ‘cause she needs to know what happened to Cole.”

 _“Every_ _thing?!_   And _Nya’s_ right there next to you!”  Kai was close to flipping out as his arms flapped about.  “And _Lloyd_ just heard it!  Is Sensei the _only one on this ship_ who doesn’t know?”

“C’mon, Kai.”  Jay leaned back against the pillows, his hands behind his head, clearly enjoying Kai’s embarrassment.  “He’s known about this since I told Nya yesterday.”

“Aargh!  At this rate, Sofiya and Renata are the only ones who _don’t_ know!”

“Well, actually…”  Zane paused to speak into his comlink.  “Did you and Renata get all of that, my love?”

Sofiya’s voice came from the small device.  “Of course, snuggy bunny!”  I could barely hear the rest of her message over Kai’s horrified outcry.  “Call me later, Arwyn!  I’m glad you’re all okay!”

“Cool it, my red-hot chili pepper!”  Renata attempted to calm Kai over the minute speaker.  “It was _awesome_ of you to do that for Cole!  You shouldn’t be _ashamed_ of it!  When are you going to get your sweet buns back over here to me, by the way?”

Quieting down, Kai glared daggers at Jay, daring him to make a remark or laugh out loud.  “I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon,” he replied to Renata with a sheepish downward glance.  “And I’ll call you later…Nata-boo.”  His exit from the bunkroom was swift, chased by Jay’s hysterical hooting, A-Cappella, and Lloyd.

Nya was stifling Jay’s laughter with a pillow when I rose and confronted Zane worriedly.  “He actually went through all of _that?_   _Why_ would he gloss over all of this and try to act like nothing happened?  I can understand _Kai_ not wanting to talk about it, but…”

“Cole had been in critical condition because of my actions,” our brother admitted with a shrug.  “And, although he recovered rather quickly from it, for the most part, he willingly went into that tower _knowing_ he was in a weakened state.” 

His expression was one of understanding as he took my hand.  “But, being the person he is, he was determined to do everything he possibly could to get us all home safely.  He may not wish you to know all that he endured, that he _ignored_ all of the warning signs, and risked his life, anyway.”

I was appalled.  Acidicus had relished in telling me that he had had Cole killed.  I had grieved for him, even if only for a few hours, and, then, miracle of miracles, I had found him to be alive and well. 

Now I was told that when I had thought he was dead, Cole had indeed been fighting for his life.  This was what he had wanted to keep from me, so that I wouldn’t agonize more. 

“This is _not_ the first time Cole has taken risks on his own person to keep us all together, but it _is_ the first time he has gone to such extreme lengths.”  Zane smiled with a tilt of his head toward me.  “I can only surmise that it was due to _your_ involvement.”

That was _not_ gonna absolve him.

****Cole’s POV**

While cutting broccoli into sections and adding the pieces to the steamer basket, I was wondering why Zane had filched my assistant right in the middle of fixing supper. 

 _I could really use some help_ …

I had just taken the chicken breasts out of the oven, where the focaccia still sat, waiting to brown.  The alfredo sauce was nearly ready to shut down, and I was hoping the radiatori wouldn’t get too soft or sticky before everything else was finished, since I had just drained and covered it. 

_Dessert’ll have be ice cream or Oreos, ‘cause I just don’t have ti—_

_“Valerio COLE!”_

The knife slipped in the vegetables, almost catching a finger when I felt Arwyn’s hot, staticky spike and heard her cry from down the hall.  It made me flinch for two reasons:  I still wasn’t used to having everyone know my first name, and her tone was a little shrill, somewhat commanding, and a _lot_ _pissed._

Closing my eyes, I put the kitchen knife on the counter. 

_Aw, shit.  Those blabbermouths told her everything, didn’t they…_

I had purposefully danced around the subject of all that I had been through physically so that she wouldn’t spazz on me about having taken such a terrible risk in the collapsing of the tower.  Now my helpful and caring brothers had gone and royally screwed all that up.

Her yell was followed by staccato footsteps that thumped down the hall toward my location.  Was she loudly _trying_ to let me know she was coming for intimidation or to alert me to grant time for an escape?  Probably neither. 

She knew she couldn’t sneak up on me since I could sense her now, anyway.  If I could guess anything about her present mood, she just didn’t give a rat’s ass about trying to be stealthy.  After all, where could I possibly go?

I looked back toward the swinging door to the dining room.  

_Maybe I could slip out of the kitchen without her seeing me, buy myself a little time, give her a chance to cool down…_

It was not that I was treating Arwyn _anything_ like Jay treated Nya, avoiding Kai’s sister when she was seeing red, then begging her forgiveness until she got over being steamed at him for whatever nimrod thing he’d done. 

 _Frick_ _, no!  I am not pussy-whipped like Jay… I’ll just do it to mess with her.  Yeah._

Turning off the oven, and extinguishing the gas burner under the simmering alfredo sauce, I bounded to the hinge-side of the doorway.  Flattening my back to the wall a split second before the door came flying open, it only missed hitting my nose because it struck my chest first. 

 _That_ _would’ve smarted…_  

A ticked-off woman on a mission, Arwyn strode rapidly into the room, reaching the center of the kitchen as I smoothly stole around the edge of the door before it could swing closed. 

Only one of my bare feet was across the threshold on the way to freedom when a handful of my T-shirt sleeve was grabbed tightly from behind.  I was yanked backward and spun around, coming abruptly face-to-face with Arwyn.  I tried not to look startled as her dark eyes bored into me. 

“Running like a scared rabbit, Montanaro?  Not like you can _hide_ from me.  I can sense you in here like I can _see_ you!”  Her expression was unsmiling.  The heat, electricity and pressure of her elements was obvious.  The cool part, not so much.

_How to get out of this one…?_

With what I hoped was a smoldering, ultra-sexy grin, I eased my hands around her waist, and pulled her into my intimate, personal space.  “As a matter of fact, my heart, I was just going to look for _you.”_

Moving in for a kiss, my parted lips were an inch from hers when her fingertips slipped in between them, and she pushed me away by the chin.  I noticed, however, that she made no attempt to extricate herself from my snug embrace.

“You are _not_ going to distract me _that_ easily, sir!”

I put on my innocent-as-a-lamb face, although I knew I was busted like a water balloon.  “From what on _earth_ would I try to distract you?”

Her tone got really sarcastic.  “Only from the interesting little tidbits that I _know_ you know I know, although you didn’t _want_ me to know, but you _had_ to know I’d find out _eventually_.”

Furrowing my brow, I peered at her through lowered lashes.  “…Okay, now you’re just trying to confuse me…”

Pushing me backward a couple of steps until I felt my back hit the wall near the door, she proceeded to poke me in the chest with a forefinger. 

_Funny how I don’t mind that at all from her…_

“Let me put it as _simply_ as possible.  You didn’t want me to know that you were _frozen_ , in a _coma,_ only took time to recover to a _fraction_ of your usual self, and should _never_ have pulled that tower-collapsing stunt!”

“Oh, yeah.  Heh. _That_ …Some secrets don’t stay secret on this ship for long enough, do they?”  My I’m- _way_ -too-hot-for–you-to-stay-mad-at-me grin still didn’t have Arwyn smiling back from behind her wavy, black bangs. 

I sighed and got serious as she folded her arms over her chest between us. 

 _May as well face the music_ …

“I didn’t tell you ‘cause I only wanted to keep you from being upset more.  And I didn’t think I’d run into trouble in the tower.  I was simply doing everything I could think of to make sure you survived, that you were _safe_ and could go on to fulfill the prophecy—”

Her scowl softened, but she still looked determined to prove a point.  “If you have an obligation to help me make that happen to the best of your abilities, then your _main objective_ should be _staying alive_ , ‘cause I’d rather _die_ than have to live without you…I was _ready_ to do just _that.”_   She leaned into my embrace a little more. 

I could tell I was about to be forgiven.  “I _told_ you not to give up.” 

Uncrossing her arms, she moved her hands up to my biceps and pressed her hips and upper body closer.  “And I listened.  I _didn’t_ give up, did I?”

“You didn’t _totally_ listen.”  Dipping my head, I caught her lower lip between my mine for a teasing second.  “You didn’t leave the castle.”

“You didn’t say I _had_ to.”  Her arms went around my neck, the fingers of one hand were woven through my hair.  “And it’s a good thing I _didn’t,_ or _you’d_ still be there _.”_

“I’m glad you stayed.”

“So am I.” 

Her breath was hot against my lips as I brought them down to claim hers.  Warm and petal-soft, they opened with no hesitation to accept the tip of my tongue, her own tongue teasingly meeting mine until we were completely intertwined.

Without stopping our kiss, I lifted Arwyn by the waist and sat her on the counter by the door, making her head and shoulders even with mine.  Clutching her to me, I felt her legs wrap around my waist, her ankles crossed behind me, keeping me close. 

It was a good thing I’d had the foresight to turn off the stove and oven, ‘cause everything around us totally disappeared. 

After spending quite a while indulging in one of the longest and most-profound kisses we’d shared so far, she breathlessly ended it, pulling away from me just a bit with a look of flaming desire.  Resting her forehead against mine, she whispered, “We only have one life…and I want to live every minute of mine with you.”

In ecstasy, my heart soared.  “I’m glad you feel that way, ‘cause I feel the same for you.”  The term _carpe diem_ aptly came to mind. 

_Why not just do it?_

Taking a deep breath, I blurted, “I know it’s kinda early, and, you know me, I usually plan down to the tiniest detail for something like this, and, in fact, I have, thinking I was gonna do this in the old, tired, traditional way with the clichéd down-on-one-knee bit, under the moon, with a ring and everything, but—like I said earlier—life is short.” 

I finally paused to take another breath.  Arwyn stared back at me, eyes wide and searching.  I felt my heart pounding under my ribs somewhat, but it was not _nearly_ as bad as the first time I’d told her I loved her. 

“So, although I don’t have the ring in my hand yet, if you really feel like you could stand to put up with me for the rest of your life…”  Reaching up, I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs.  “Say you’ll marry me.”

She was quiet for a moment, but not freaked out the way I was afraid she might be.  Increasing the space between us some, with a little, challenging smile, she asked, “Is that an _order_ from my team leader?”

“There’s no leader in this two-person team, remember?  But, sorry, guess I forgot to add _‘please’?”_ My tooth-filled smile probably resembled a first-grader’s ‘cheesy’ class picture.

Laughing, the object of my soul’s lifelong quest squeezed my neck in a tight hug.  “It would make me the happiest and most-blessed woman on _earth_ to be your wife!”  She had to know that she’d just made me the happiest and most-blessed _man_ on earth. 

Then she got to over-thinking things.  “But…why would you want to do that _now_ if we couldn’t consummate it without precaution until _after_ the final battle?”

“I suppose we could wait for the ceremony and…everything _else_ …until that time… _somehow_ …,” I admitted reluctantly.  “But I’ve got a ring in mind that I _must_ have on your hand as soon as possible.”

Smooching me on the nose, she stated sincerely, “You don’t have to give me a ring to know that I’m yours forever, that I’m never leaving you.”

“Well, you’re gonna get one anyway, ‘cause I want the _rest_ of Ninjago to know.  I’m assuming you’d be more willing to comply with wearing my ring…”  Using two fingers, I flicked the first button of her shirt open.  “…Than to having me tattoo ‘Hands off—Property of Cole’ right about…”  I traced a fingertip across the soft, olive-toned swells just above the satiny top of her bra.  “…here.  So, which will it be?”

She glanced down at my lingering finger.  “Yeah, the tattoo’s _not_ gonna happen, mister.”

Though regretful, I was not surprised.  “I thought not.” 

****Arwyn’s POV**

After lying in bed for more than two hours, punching my pillow, saying my prayers, turning from one side to the other, uncovering, then covering again, I still could not sleep.  I couldn’t shut off my mind. 

It was our first full night back on the _Bounty,_ just a few hours after Cole had proposed to me in the kitchen—the _kitchen_ , of all the unromantic spots!And yet, there was no other place I could imagine that would have made it any more special or meaningful.

Through my porthole window, I could see the glint of stars in the sky over the Sea of Sand.  Smiling serenely, I thought of how the rest of the evening had gone. 

During supper, neither of us said a word about our future plans to anyone else.  But between Cole’s perpetual smile and my acting like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush, we did get a few curious looks from our tablemates.  Particularly from _Chichi._

Afterward, I contacted Sofiya from the bridge, since my cellphone and both my _and_ Cole’s comlinks were toast.  Although she was ecstatic for me, I was a little disappointed that my thrilling and joyful news was not quite news to her, as she had known it was coming soon.

Back in Miyagi, while they had torn down the barn, Cole had come clean to Zane that he had seen a ring he wanted for me in Ninjago City.  Mentioning this to Sofiya when he called her that evening, Zane had been told by my best friend that she and I wore the same size. 

Without her lover’s encouragement, she had gone to the antique-jewelry shop the following morning and asked to the see the ring inspected by ‘a good-looking stud with a scythe’.  At first, the shop owner had refused, saying she had put it aside for the ninja and _only_ for him. 

Sofiya had somehow convinced the lady that she was sent by said ninja to size and pay for the ring.  She would be picking it up tomorrow so Zane could bring it back to the _Bounty_ on his next visit. 

Cole thought it was funny that it had Zane feeling the pressure to go ring-shopping himself.  I was thinking Jay was probably going to be hating his leader, too, when word got out and _Nya_ starting getting ideas.

The rest of the evening we surrendered to Lloyd.  The poor boy was showing signs of separation anxiety, shadowing Cole when he wasn’t chasing A-Cappella.  This led Cole to spend an hour with him trying to reassure him that nothing like the events of the last couple of days would ever happen again.  We hoped.

At bedtime, Cole and I had parted at my door with a kiss and hushed declarations of love.  I was truly happy—the happiest I had ever been in my life—considering what all we had to deal with.  So why was I so restless, so apprehensive? 

Lying in bed, I could think of nothing _but_ Cole, of course, but those thoughts kept going back to the hours I had spent in the tower—the hours I had believed him to be forever gone from me.  Even though I kept telling myself that nothing was wrong, a niggling doubt stayed with me.

I told myself it was irrational.  I could sense the Masters down the hall, each with his own particular characteristic.  Kai’s rousing heat.  Zane’s serene frost.  Jay’s effervescent charge.  Cole’s confident support.  It should’ve been enough for me. 

After all, I _knew_ he was alive and well—bruised and sore, but alive.  But it wasn’t enough to just _know_ it.  I felt the rising need to _see_ him, _touch_ him.  More and more, I had the feeling that if I didn’t, something awful would have happened, and he would be lost to me. 

Giving in to the overpowering need, I threw back my bedcovers and rose, padding without a sound out into the hallway in my nightclothes.  I could faintly hear _Chichi’s_ light snoring from my right as I turned to the left and headed toward the men’s bunkroom. 

Hesitating with my hand on the door handle, I felt I had to be out of my mind.  I chided myself for acting like a worried mother who was checking on her sleeping baby for the dozenth time, just to be sure everything was alright, although she’d just put him down for the night.  I could imagine that I would probably be doing just that in the years to come with Cole’s son.

Praying the hinges wouldn’t squeak, I carefully pushed the wooden door open.  Thankfully, all remained silent, even the sometimes-creaky floorboards, as I crept the few feet to the stacked bunk beds Cole shared with Jay.

Their bunks were placed against the left wall, the ends just being cleared by the door when it was fully opened into the room.  Ever-alert for an intruder, Cole slept with his feet toward the door so that he would have the entire entryway in his view as soon as he opened his eyes. 

The barest hint of illumination from the nightlight which shone through the bathroom’s open door was all I had to enable me to make out everything in the large room.  Kai and Zane slept peacefully, not even snoring, in their set of beds placed against the far wall directly across from the room’s entrance.  Lloyd and A-Cappella didn’t move on the small cot they were sharing on the right side of the room.

Kneeling by Cole’s bedside, I could see that he lay on his right side, covered to the waist with a blanket, his back to the room.  Near enough to entwine my fingers in his glossy mane, I resisted, content to just be here by him, to watch the measured rise and fall of his torso, hear his whispery breathing, knowing that he was well. 

In the near-deafening stillness, I cleared my mind of all worries and listened to the slumbering breaths of all my dear brothers.

After little more than a minute, Cole’s head slowly turned on his pillow.  Catching my breath, I remained motionless as he unhurriedly rolled onto his back.  Glinting in the semi-darkness, his eyes soon met mine, looking not at all surprised to find me there.

No words were spoken by either of us as he slowly continued to move until he was on his left side.  Lifting the corner of his blanket he invited me into his bed and into his arms.

So as not to wake Jay, I gently maneuvered myself onto the mattress where Cole lay clothed in a T-shirt and boxer briefs.  Gratefully settling with my sore back against his firm abdomen and chest, I rested my head on half of his pillow. 

His right arm encircled my waist, a knee eased between mine, and his warm breath was in my ear as he softly muttered, “I wasn’t sleeping, either.  I was about to get up and go to _you.”_

Snuggling closer to his hardness, I released a satisfied sigh.  Tightening his hold on me, Cole added, “You’re getting good, my heart.  I never heard you…but I _could_ feel you.”

Once he’d tenderly kissed my cheek, he settled down on his pillow.  Before I had time to attempt to reflect on the depth of this new level of our relationship, we were both sound asleep.

* * *

 

Jarred from sleep as the clock’s unfamiliar, god-awful alarm blared, I felt a tension around my waist just as I remembered I was in the bunkroom. 

 _OMG...Five-thirty already?_  

Someone mercifully shut off the noise as Cole shifted around behind me, pressing himself against my backside.  My lips curled up lazily. 

_Ever alert…_

I felt Kai’s fire increase an iota before I opened an eye.  There he stooped, barely two feet away, staring into my face with a tiny flame dancing in the palm of his hand between us.  Leveling his brows, he observed, “Hmm…Seems as though Cole’s grown another head, guys.  One _much_ nicer to look at first thing in the morning than the one I’m _used_ to seeing.”

Cole raised his head from the pillow, and Kai met his gaze.  “Oh.  My bad.  _There’s_ the ugly one.”

“G’mornin’ to you, too, Kai,” came the sleepy grumble from behind me.  “Now shut your piehole, and hurry up with your turn in the bathroom.”

The candle-like flame disappeared with its master as Kai scurried to be the first to the lavatory, sidestepping Zane as the nindroid went to turn on the bunkroom’s ceiling light.  In response, Lloyd became a lump under a heap of quilts, and A-Cappella bounded around the room, tripping Zane.

A soft peck on my ear, and having Cole murmur, “Morning, my life’s heart,” helped to start my day off right.   

Turning in his arms to face him, I was pulling Cole down to greet him with an eager ‘good morning’ kiss when Jay hung his head over the side of the bed above us.  “Hey!  Why didn’t someone tell me it was bring-your-girlfriend-for-a-sleepover night?  I could’ve had _Nya_ up here!”

His outburst didn’t stop us, but it _did_ have Kai yelling from the bathroom, “Excuse _ME?!_   You’d have done _what_ with Nya?!”

Landing on his good leg on the floor beside us with a soft thump, Jay loudly started his debate with Kai.  “Hey!  If Cole and Arwyn can sleep together in the same bed, and nobody thinks anything of it, why couldn’t Nya and I do the same?”  He had us disengaging sooner than we wanted.

“Because I _know_ what _you’d_ do!”  Kai had been in the middle of brushing his teeth and stood in the center of the bunkroom, waving his toothbrush at Jay.  “Y _ou_ don’t have _half_ the self-restraint that Cole does!  Hell, _none_ of us do!”

Jay shook his head and gestured with animated skepticism.  _“That_ is _ludicrous!_   It’s not like he’s some _saint!_   You don’t know _what_ he’s been doing with her while you were asleep.  It’s the _quiet_ ones, like him and Zane, you have to look out for!” 

The earth and ice ninja exchanged looks with raised eyebrows and quirky grins.

Jabbing his forefingers at them, Jay exclaimed, “You _see?!_   You _see_ that?!  They’ve got the wool pulled over _your_ eyes, pal!  They’re about as harmless as a nest of baby vipers!”

Getting out of Cole’s bed, I combed my fingers through my hair while I came to my handsome, new fiancé’s defense.  “That is _not_ true.  I may be biased, but I can honestly vouch for Cole.  He’s not perfect, but he _is_ a gentleman.”  A little contritely, I added, “In fact, he’s showing more restraint than _I_ am…” 

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Cole ran both hands through his mussed hair, grabbing fistfuls, and spoke from between gnashing teeth.  “You _cannot imagine_ the inner strength it’s taking me…”

I patted him affectionately on the head.  “There’s a good boy…Zane, on the other hand, according to Sofiya…”  All eyes focused on the stately blonde who had been readying for his turn in the bathroom.

Zane looked like the fox who’d been caught exiting the henhouse.  _“What_ has Sofiya been _telling_ you?!”

Tapping my chin with a finger, I smiled secretively.  “Umm…you don’t really want to know.  Let’s just say that she has _no qualms_ about kissing and telling me… _everything.”_   Shocked silence followed as Zane did something I didn’t know he _could_ do…blushed furiously.

With a suggestive simper, I continued, “And she is _very_ pleased with you, by the way.  She made mention of your extensive knowledge of something called the _Kama Sutra_ …”

Involuntarily, a broad smile creased his pink face, and he quickly turned his back to his brothers, as hooting laughter issued from the trio.     

Cole strode to Zane’s side and smacked him on the shoulder.  “Don’t be embarrassed, Z!  You’re right where I wish Arwyn and I could be.  I’m jealous, man!”

Lloyd poked his head from beneath his hill of quilts.  “What’s the _Kama Sutra?”_

“Ooh…on that note, I’m outta here!”  Making for the door, I was brought to a sudden halt when Cole caught me around the waist from behind. 

Holding me closely to him, his tickling whisper in my ear made me giggle, something I _didn’t_ do often.  “I just had to say, you look _so_ _hot_ right now, it’s about to drive me cr—”

A single knock on the door scarcely preceded the wooden portal’s opening, revealing Sensei Wu. 

Everyone in the room was frozen and wide-eyed for a second as our teacher critically looked us up and down.  I stood wrapped in Cole’s arms, wearing only my fitted cami and _really short_ shorts while he was still in clingy boxer briefs and a tee. 

Cole spoke up first.  “This is totally _innocent_ , Sensei!  She just came to sleep with me!”  I felt his arms clench around me as he probably cringed at how that phrase might be construed.  “No!  I mean, she _couldn’t sleep_ and came to _see_ about me!”  I was wincing with him.  This was pretty painful.

 _Chichi_ tried to act like he wasn’t seeing anything of which he disapproved, forcing a small smile onto his face as he responded to Cole, then addressed me.  “Ah.  Yes.  I was just looking for you since it’s your morning to cook breakfast, Arwyn.  I was going to request your _pain perdu_.  With a little cinnamon and honey.”

“Will do!” I answered cheerfully, like we’d been doing nothing that could get Cole and me extra training hours.  Sensei turned on his heel, followed by a little mammal looking for action.  Hopefully he was thinking that we had suffered enough already.

Sighing, Cole let me go, kissed my cheek, and promised, “I’ll meet you in the kitchen to help as soon as I dress.  I love you.” 

“I love you more.”  After kissing him back, I rushed for my room, hearing Jay and Kai’s mirthful snorting behind me while Zane tried to console Cole.  “At least he didn’t catch _you_ exiting her _bedroom.”_

****3 rd Person Narration**

_DESTINY’S BOUNTY_ , THE NEXT NIGHT

Holding hands, Cole and Arwyn ascended the steps to the main deck from below.  It was twilight, and the last of the sun’s orange glow was rapidly fading in the west, the first of the clear night’s millions of stars were beginning to show.  For miles around, nothing could be seen but the undulating dunes of the Sea of Sand and an occasional low mesa.

Cole carried an MP3 dock with speakers and set it up in the prow, while Arwyn lit several of the torches attached to the railings on either side.  The small flames she created with her fire element skipped and flickered to the tune of the light desert breeze.    

Both wearing casual lounging clothes, the couple met in the center of the deck as the sweet, lilting strains of a slow, Argentine-tango piece sounded from the speakers. 

Taking her hands in both of his, the young, ebony-haired man gazed down with shining eyes at his sweetheart.  “This instrumental is called ‘Nada’ or ‘Nothing’, as in, ‘nothing to it’.”  His grin was warm and reassuring.  “I thought we’d start off with something with a slow tempo while I teach you a few steps like the basic walk, _ocho,_ and _salida.”_  

Glancing nervously at his unshod feet, she commented, “You really should’ve worn your boots, ‘cause this _could_ get ugly.”

He laughed, the happy sound drifting with the wind.  “You can’t hurt me, and I think we’re both agile enough that you’ll miss my feet.”

“If I make a mistake…”  Her tone was uncertain, lacking self-confidence.

He shook his head emphatically.  “We’ve already made a few _outside_ of this dance.  Besides, I told you before, there are no screw-ups, no mistakes in this, just miscommunications.  The tango’s not meant to be perfect.  Just follow me, and I’ll not lead you astray.”

Assuming his usual role of teacher, Cole began his lesson.  “Okay, a few things before we begin…You mentioned a few weeks ago that the tango seemed very sensual—and it is, without necessarily being sexual, although…it _can_ be that, too.  It’s a blend of the body, mind, and spirit.”

“Partners move in what’s known as ‘the embrace’, communicating through an intimate connection.  It requires commitment.  They have to pay _full_ attention to one another and how they’re touching, how they’re moving.  They are _not_ separate, but one.”

“Now you _do_ have the leader—me—and the follower—you.”  He tucked a wandering lock of her hair behind her ear.  “But we’re here to _help_ each other.  This is not a dance of dominance and submission—”

Arwyn cocked a brow.  “Glad to hear _that.”_

Cole caught himself before he rolled his eyes.  “It’s one of invitation and acceptance.  _My_ job is to pay attention to the music and navigate, guide you through whatever steps _I_ decide we should take.  _Your_ job is to anticipate my moves, be open to my signals, and to step confidently.” 

“To trust you,” she stated with understanding.

“Right.  In turn, I am to be sensitive and responsive to how your body is moving throughout the dance—which I have no problem doing, since I’m always responsive to your body…”  The risqué wiggle of his heavy, dark eyebrows quickly brought a smile to her lips.  

“But, on with the lesson…Sometimes I’ll have you mirror me, sometimes you’ll move in opposition, but always _with_ me, heart-to-heart.  Offering and receiving, giving and taking.  Like a relationship.”

“I think I can do that,” Arwyn nodded, accepting the challenge.

Cole held up a hand.  “Before we start that, one more thing…”

Facing one another as the violin-and-accordion music played in a repeating loop, Cole took Arwyn’s left hand in his and slipped a piece of jewelry he had retrieved from his pocket onto her ring finger. 

“It’s official.  You are now my betrothed.”  He brought her hand to his lips, then watched with pride as she held it up in the torchlight, admiring the ring.  The marquis-cut amethyst with its flanking rubies set on the flared, white-gold band caught the light, reflecting each facet.  “Like it?”

“I love it,” she answered, the tremble in her voice just barely under control.  Clearing her throat, she added with a smile, “But not even a _fraction_ as much as I love you.”

Gathering her to his chest, where she rested her head on his shoulder, Cole chuckled, “You may have liked the _tattoo_ just as much.  It would’ve been a lot less expensive, and you couldn’t lose it.”

Arwyn lifted her face to look at him with an I-dare-you grin, and Cole could see that her eyes also glimmered with the beginnings of tears.  Lowering his head, he kissed her softly, slowly, sweetly, the caress of his lips on hers imparting all of the gentle emotion that his soul contained which was answered in kind by _her_ spirit.

After a time, they ended the kiss, and stood holding each other as they listened to the Latin dance melody wafting over and around them.  At last, with a smile, Cole took a step back from her, extending his left arm to the side at shoulder-height, the thumb of his hand up—the traditional invitation to the tango.

“So…Are you ready?”

Unhesitatingly, Arwyn placed her right hand in his inviting palm.  “Lead the way, my heart.”

* * *

A Haiku for Cole and Arwyn

wounded hearts adrift

united, were breathed to life

setting souls ablaze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! I hated doing it *sniff* but it had to be done...DX Please be kind and leave a note!


	39. Guide to OCs and Some Items of Interest in "Turning-Points"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A list of OCs and a few interesting facts about things I wrote into 'Turning-Points' (at least they're interesting to me). WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS TO 'TURNING-POINTS':

**Interesting Points:**

Arwyn is named after Arwen, the Elvish princess of Rivendell in Tolkien'sLord of the Ringssaga.

Arwyn's occupation was inspired by that of a close family member. All of the references to any physical or mental health information are from this person's knowledge and experience, with backup from reliable sources on the internet.

Certain people in my immediate family are stuck in the '80's, so I've seen a few movies. Hence the references toFerris Bueller's Day OffandThe Princess Brideand Arwyn's hometown of Miyagi (guess the movie?).

Renata, Castor, Reed, and Benoit are all names affiliated with my family in some way or another.

Cole's birthday is that of my favorite actor.

Arwyn runs because I do, and I wish I could stick to yoga and tai chi regimens.

Cole is Italian since I love all things Italian!

Purple is my favorite color...If you hadn't noticed.

Cole is my ideal romantic guy--a knight in shining armor...*sigh*. Soft heart, rough edges, protective, passionate, loving, adoring, loyal, chivalrous, but doesn't want to be controlled (although he's wrapped around Arwyn's finger, he still insists he's wearing the pants... Until she gets them off ;). I could go on and on...

Some readers may have thought that Cole's occasional losses of control were out-of-character, but, on the contrary, it shows the intensity of his feelings for Arwyn, and how even the most calm and well-controlled person has a breaking point if they feel strongly about something or someone. Even our Lord Jesus Christ lost it once in the temple marketplace.

ElvishQuestis a variation on the name of an awesome fantasy graphic novel I discovered which was written several years ago. I highly recommendElfQuestby Wendy and Richard Pini. Wonderful!

Twinings' Earl Grey with bergamot and Yogi Tea's Mayan Cocoa Spice (Kai had it before he kissed Arwyn) are my favorite teas. I love hot mochas, too.

I'd like to see all of the ninja in thin, damp, cotton shorts...

I wish I could speak Italian and more French.

If the id, ego, and superego thing confused you, read a little about psychology theory.

I love the forest just like Arwyn. I live and run in one!

A couple of lines from movies appear, too, like the castle-storming one ("Princess Bride") and the thing about the twisted giblets ("Bolt"!).

Like Arwyn and Cole, I like to sketch. Only wish I was better at it...

Cafe Soos is a play on words, sounding like Zeus, since it was a Greek-Lebanese restaurant, but spelled like the character in a favorite cartoon, "Gravity Falls".

Did you get that Cole's 'Long Island Iced Tea' was actually a plain cola? ;)

The Cool Beans Coffee Shop was the name of a place I saw while on a trip once.

Arwyn and Cole have had so many scenes where they sleep together (without having sex) because I think it's incredibly romantic and trusting to be able to totally let your guard down and become absolutely vulnerable with someone like that without actually 'doing the deed'.

Ryo and Sora are very much like my parents...'nuff said.

I named Cole's mother Gaia, because, in Greek mythology, Gaia was, essentially, the Earth, or, at least, goddess of Earth, and mother of the Titans, Giants, and sea-gods, as well as other forms of life on Earth. She was also very promiscuous.

Thank God for the internet as a research tool. 'Nuff said, again.

Arwyn's former boyfriend attempted to force her to have sex with him. This is **date rape** and can happen to males or females. Arwyn did it wrong by not telling authorities, only a friend, and lying to her parents. She did it right by fighting back and assuring him he wouldn't get away with it if he tried it again. HOWEVER, authorities should have been notified, and she should have gotten some kind of counseling for the abuse. Victims need help and rapists should be stopped. Be vigilant to keep it from happening. Get help if, God forbid, it does.

I imagine Cole reflecting on the song "Just For" by Nickelback when he thinks about Keiji.

I am intrigued by European medieval and Renaissance history and architecture, hence the castle setting (thirteenth-century Harlech Castle in Wales) for Arwyn and Lloyd's imprisonment.

Jay's confusing text to Cole referring to 'Lassie', 'Timmy', and the well was in reference to the old TV shows about Lassie the collie who rescued her master Timmy quite often.  I've never seen it, but it's like an icon.

I love cake and think it should be served at every meal...off of Cole's chest.

Look up a video of the Harlem Shuffle ( _not_ Shake!). Imagine tall, dark, handsome, and sexy Cole doing it. mmmmmm...

Arwyn's thinking _'I have to have faith… faith that moves mountains! All I have right now is my faith that he’s still alive, the hope that I can get him out, my love for him… and his for me._ _Our love will protect, trust, endure, it will never end. Without it, I am_ ** _nothing,'_** while desperately trying to get to Cole is derived from 1 Corinthians 13. Love that chapter!

Cole begins his tango lesson with Arwyn to the Argentine-tango piece called "Nada" by Fabio Hager Sexteto. So romantic and bittersweet...Like the ending of my book...

If there's anything you'd like to know more about, feel free to comment:)

 

**My OCs in Turning-Points: **

 

 **-Arwyn Rie Saito-** 23-year-old RN, blah, blah, blah... **  
**

**-Ryo and Sora Saito-** farming couple in Miyagi-in their mid-fifties; adoptive parents of Arwyn

 

 **-Mave Sidhe** ( mah vay shee)-biological mother of Arwyn; sidhe means 'fairy' in Irish-unknown age when she passed away-Could have been 25, could have been 200...

 

 **-Sofiya Iskall-** 25-year-old yoga instructor in Ninjago City; best friend of Arwyn; lover of Zane Julien; 'iskall' means' icy or freezing' in Swedish

 

 **-Renata LeFeu** (re NAH teh le fuh)-22-year-old law student and intern in Ninjago City; girlfriend of Kai Tanaka; Renata is my sister's name; 'feu' means 'fire' in French

 

 **-Dr. Jin Kita-** former employer of Arwyn, in early thirties; reminds me of Adam Levine :)

 

 **-Keiji Endor-** 24-year-old former boyfriend of Arwyn

 

**-slutty waitress at Cool Beans Coffee Shop**

 

**-male clerk at Doomsday Comix**

 

**-female owner of vintage-jewelry store**

 

 **-male owner of dojo in brown gi** -DUH.  Dareth.  (not really an OC, I know)

 

 **-Remy Granger-** 23-year-old former classmate of Arwyn; farmhand employed by Ryo

 

- **Gaia**   **Narkissistós -** forty-something mother of Cole Montanaro; wife of Luciano Montanaro; 'narkissistós' means 'narcissist' in Greek

 

 **-Hiro** -15-year-old villager bitten by Fangpyre and made to work with Skalidor and Acidicus' soldiers at the Castle of Poisoned Dreams; released by Cole and Kai in the tower, he was told to run fast when he got away to transform back to a human (raising heart rate apparently reverses Fangpyre's bite)

 

 **-Nonna** -Cole's paternal grandmother-deceased

 

 **-black-haired, and brown-haired, 8-year-old boys**  seen in Cole's last dream of the future-The first is Adamo Saito-Wu Montanaro, son of Cole and Arwyn.  The Italian name 'Adamo' means 'son of earth'.  The other boy who resembles Cole?   Hmmm.... ;)  I hope I can write about them later. 

 


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